


Music is my Escape - my dream

by Kaiten, MasterTickleBack



Category: B.A.P
Genre: Abusive Parents, Alternate Universe - School, Angst, Bullying, Fluff, Honestly not that terrible plot, It's actually quite alright, M/M, Music, SO MUCH FLUFF, Smut, Violence here and there, alcoholic parents, horrible plot, not so horrible plot according to some people
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-14
Updated: 2017-07-22
Packaged: 2018-10-18 18:44:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 48
Words: 126,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10622862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaiten/pseuds/Kaiten, https://archiveofourown.org/users/MasterTickleBack/pseuds/MasterTickleBack
Summary: Yongguk, Himchan, Daehyung, Youngjae, Jongup, and Junhong live more or less separate lives. They go to the same school but don't know much about one another. Yongguk has a dream of making his music his way of living. Himchan breathes for his instruments. Daehyun sings for only a very few and wants a new face (he get's too much attention from everyone for his pretty features). Youngjae is the heir of his father's business but only wants to sing. Jongup doesn't speak much but communicates through his dancing. And lastly, Junhong wants to be everywhere but in his own body. He feels like a mutant and is on the receiving end of bullying more often than not.Yongguk wants to collect a group and create music and somehow their lives gets intertwined. Music is what brings them closer, both to each other but also to their dreams.





	1. Chapter one

**Author's Note:**

> This is a new fic on AO3, but it is an old one from [AFF](http://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/292753/). It is cross-posted, and will be updated as we rewrite and correct horrible grammar mistakes :) The plot is no different, but the writing will be improved.

_'Won’t he ever SHUT UP?!?'_  Yongguk asked himself quietly as he glared at the ever talking Himchan. He placed his bag on his desk in his music theory class with a little too much force.  A couple of looks were shot his way, including the source of his annoyance. With a quick glare, everyone looked away. The only eyes staying on him were Himchan’s, who rolled his eyes at him before returning to his monolog to his followers. ' _See, this is why I don’t like him, so obnoxious_. _He thinks he is everything_ '. Luckily, the teacher walked in at that moment and saved him from further headaches. Even Himchan listened in this class, though Yongguk didn’t understand why. He had heard the rumors about Himchan having a scholarship since middle school. All because he had a huge talent in instruments. With the way, he acted in class Yongguk just couldn’t believe it. That, and he never heard Himchan play anything. The teacher's voice brought Yongguk's attention from Himchan to the lesson.

 

Across the room, Himchan was worried despite his calm manner. The teacher wanted him to play but he did not like performing. Not in class nor in front of other people. He felt naked and vulnerable when playing. That was when his true self showed up. When he played, all his worries and insecurities were laid open for the world to hear. And he had a certain image to keep. One that didn't include insecurities and worries.  
As the minutes passed and the teacher had yet to call him up, Himchan slowly built a hope she had forgotten. He hoped dearly she had forgotten about the performance she had requested from him. Himchan just simply wasn't that lucky. Luck, to that extent, was never the case. When there were only ten minutes left of class and Himchan was sure he was saved, the teacher called out his name and all his hopes came crashing down. For the first time in years, Himchan couldn't hold the nervous tremor out of his hands. It cracked off a tiny piece of his well-kept façade. As he approached the front of the class, a small snicker came from the other side of the room.  _Hell no!_ He was going to show that arrogant idiot, Bang Yongguk.  
Himchan pulled himself together and with confidence he never had, and strolled towards the piano. He knew Yongguk. Everyone thought he was a gangster of some sort. His glares and deep voice had them all fooled, but Himchan knew the truth. Yongguk was a softie. He had seen him in the club where he worked, wearing one of the cutest gummy smiles known to mankind. And gangsters didn’t act cute when complemented. Himchan sat down on the piano stool and closed his hands into fists a couple of times, removing the stiffness from his joints.  
“Please show them what we talked about, Himchan.” The teacher requested. He hesitantly placed his fingers on the shiny white and black tangents of the instrument. Beautiful tones flowed through the room, echoing off the walls, bringing the other students into a trance of Himchan’s emotions. It was a sad melody. It was always sad when Himchan played. He couldn’t seem to bring out any other emotion. It always resembled the one that filled his life.

 

Yongguk was amazed. He wanted to cry but he was amazed. He had honestly thought that Himchan was insensitive, arrogant, and unable to play. Himchan had proved him wrong. This piece squeezed his heart. Painfully so. He was about to lose his fight against the tears when Himchan stopped playing. He let the last tones linger through the silent room. Yongguk eyed a slight shake in Himchan’s hands before it was replaced by his usual smirk and overconfident manner. He felt like he had seen something he shouldn't have seen.

“That was beautiful Himchan. Thank you.” The teacher said with tears in her eyes.  
“Of course.” Himchan replied with a wink and Yongguk dropped the idea of him not fitting his judgments. He was still arrogant and insensitive. Only because of the tears in the teacher’s eyes was he sure that the melody wasn’t a fragment of his imagination. Mr. Obnoxious strolled back to his seat while the class struggled to wake from the trance.  
“Okay, next week we’ll start composing. You will be divided into groups of two. I’ve already decided who are going to work together. I’ll put them up on the board. Think of what I’ve taught you today as well as Himchan’s presentation of how it’s used. Class dismissed."  
  
Three rooms down the hall, Daehyun was sitting in a classroom, shifting lower in his seat. He was holding on to his mask for his dear life. The class had just been dismissed and Seo Young was leaning over his table. She was leaning low enough for him to glance all the way down under her shirt. But he was a gentleman so, of course, he didn’t. He looked her straight in the eyes and waited for her to say something while he internally begged for someone to come and save him.  
“So, Daehyun oppa, what are you doing tonight?” She asked, batting her lashes. She was pushing herself further up into his face, making it harder and harder to focus on her face.  
“Uh- I uh- um-” Daehyun stammered, trying to politely decline the unspoken offer. He knew she wanted him to spend time with her.  
“DAEHYUN!” Someone yelled from the door, pulling a sigh of relief from Daehyun. ' _Yongguk to the rescue._ ' Daehyun thought and turned his attention to him. “Get over here.” Yongguk’s voice boomed through the room and Daehyun fled the scene with one thought on his mind: ' _HALLELUJAH! Saved by Yongguk._ ' He fled to Yongguk, leaving the classroom with his bag flying around behind him. Yongguk was his guardian angel, saving him from all the perverts at this school. They walked to lunch together and sat at their usual table.  
“Thank you, Hyung.” Daehyun thanked him sincerely before he turned his smile into a playful smirk.“Let me repay you somehow.” He teased, wiggling his brows.  
Sometimes, it felt like Daehyun had some kind of multiple personality disorder. When he was with Yongguk or one of his other few friends, he was a prankster and a creep. But when alone, he was insecure and shy as hell. He never liked all the stares he got, all because of a face prettier than average. Sometimes, Yongguk didn’t know which side he preferred. ' _Right now, a more shy side would be better_ ', Yongguk thought and pretended to hit the other. Daeyun flinched in response, arms coming up to defend himself.   
“Is that how you show your gratitude? ‘Cause then I’m done with helping you out of the clutches of that immoral bitch.” Yongguk threatened teasingly as he bit into his sandwich.  
“Oh no, please no” Daehyun exclaimed with wide eyes and instinctively pressed his mask against his face.  
“Chill man.” Yongguk laughed at the boy and ruffled his hair. Daehyun pulled down his mask and grabbed Yongguk’s sandwich from his hands, took a bite and placed it back before Yongguk could blink. Daehyun thought he deserved that, as he munched on the 'little' bite he took from Yongguk’s sandwich. The latter stared in wonder at the huge bite in his sandwich that suddenly appeared from nowhere.  
“The fuck Daehyun, don’t you have your own lunch?” Yongguk complained, still wondering how the bite could appear so suddenly That was something he often did when Daehyun was around.  
“Yup, yours.” Daehyun answered with a happy smile that squinted his eyes into little crescents.  
A crash interrupted Yongguk’s retort and the two of them turned towards the source of the commotion.  
“Watch out, freaky mutant!” a boy yelled at another taller boy with a young face who had food spilled all over his clothes. The taller boy mumbled something, bowed and then hurried off obviously trying to avoid all the eyes at him.  
“Sorry isn’t gonna get me lunch, freak!” the boy from before yelled after the tall boy. The tall boy visibly flinched as he scurried past Daehyun and Yongguk’s table, but otherwise totally ignored the yelling boy. Luck clearly wasn’t on the tall boy's side as he bumped into a shorter but well-built boy, which landed him on his butt.  
“Sorry.” The boys mumbled simultaneously. The tall boy widened his eyes, before jumping to his feet mumbling something no one could understand and almost ran out the cafeteria. This time without bumping into anyone.  
An angry expression was present on Yongguk’s face when Daehyun turned back from the scene.  
“You don’t treat people like that.” Yongguk growled quietly. Daehyun nodded to show his sympathy for the tall boy. He turned towards the short boy that had apologized to the taller one. At least he behaved decently and said sorry.

  
At another table in the cafeteria, Youngjae was sitting, watching the scene as well. He felt not only burdened by the sudden abruption in his lunch but _god_  he hated when people called out condescending tags to other people. He was genuinely enraged at the first boy, but didn’t let it show. He took his tray and brought it to the cleaning area. He placed the tray for the lunch ladies and took his bag on his shoulder. He went to the next class. noticing Jongup sitting at the table next to his, waiting for him to arrive.  
“Hey.” He smiled thoughtfully to the boy. Jongup brightened his always-present smile and nodded his head in return. The muscled boy didn’t talk a lot but always had that smile on his face. At first, Youngjae had thought that he was mute, but after a couple of months in the same class, he heard the boy speak. It was just one simple sentence; _I don’t talk much_. The truth of that sentence was overwhelming. It took several months before the boy spoke while Youngjae heard it again.  
Not speaking and the ever-staying stupid smile on his face convinced Youngjae that Jongup must simply be stupid. He didn’t like making such assumptions, but Jongup just seemed plain stupid. He himself was pretty smart. ' _I have to be_ ', Youngjae thought to himself. The company wouldn’t run itself when dad handed it over.  
Jongup, on the other hand, was filled with thoughts of his dancing classes later on. Today was one of his favorite days. First, there was a group dance class that he attended, and then an hour later (during which he would do his homework), he would be teaching his own class. It was a bunch of small kids he taught and only some basics, but it was extremely fun being with the little people. They understood his body’s language better than grown-ups. He didn’t speak much. Jongup preferred using his body to speak. It seemed more personal to him, and when he _did_ speak, his words were actually noticed, instead of being pushed back in the crowd of voices that flooded the world.  
The class finally ended and Jongup packed his bag and went to his locker for dance clothes. He headed off to the studio and was welcomed by the precious smell of sweat and passion. He changed his clothes and went into the studio, greeting the other dancers. He started warming up his tense muscles, stretched and made his body move. It was movements that could place everyone under a strong spell. When he danced there was no other thing in the world that was important to the boy. All his unspoken words and emotions came to expression through his body movements, his dance, his words formed by the body.  
The teacher entered the studio and started the music. Jongup wasn't paying attention to the group of people in the room not moving with him. He was moving on his won while the people were watching him. Some watched with envy and jealousy, others admired and looked in awe. Once the song ended, Jongup stopped dancing and the teacher started teaching. Jongup was 110% focused on the lesson. Halfway through the lesson, he saw a blond mop of hair outside the window. The hair was heading to the corner of the building. Jongup knew only a ladder leading to the roof was in that corner. Jongup knew the roof just as well as his own body. He would always go up there to do his homework between dance classes. At least when the sun was shining. And today the sun was shining bright and warm, making everyone crave to be outside in the stinging sun, Jongup included.

When class ended, Jongup went to his locker and grabbed his school bag. He didn’t bother changing his clothes as he was going to teach some little folks in an hour. He would just go to the roof and do some homework. That is when he remembered the blonde hair. He went to the roof and tiptoed up the ladder to avoid scaring the blonde hair. When his eyes could see over the edge, he stayed in his position. The blond boy was dancing. Beautiful movements mesmerized Jongup who stayed put in his hiding from the boy. It didn't take long, then he started to feel like a creep. He straightened up and stepped onto the roof.  
At first, there was no reaction from the boy, who just kept dancing. He seemed to notice Jongup after a few minutes. The reaction was immediate. The blonde boy stopped every beautiful movement and his body tensed. There were a slouch in his shoulders and some kind of fear or sadness in his eyes. Jongup recognized the stance from the boy he had bumped into earlier today. He used his body to speak to the boy, not changing his preferred way of communicating for anyone. The tall boy backed away from him as he approached, but the fear wasn’t that evident in his eyes anymore. Just a painful sadness.

Reaching the spot where the tall boy had previously stood, Jongup started dancing. With a small smile on his face, he moved his body to unheard music. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched the tall boy that had a confused expression. After a while though, the tall boy joined in catching onto the unheard music Jongup was dancing to.  
Their styles were different from each other, but it fit perfectly in an unsymmetrical harmony, and Jongup shared his world for the first time with this tall stranger. Sure he had danced with others, but no one seemed to get his world of movements, much less joining him in it. They just danced. Oh, how they danced and Jongup was so lost in his world that when his alarm went off, he was ripped out so suddenly that he almost stumbled over his own feet. It was time for class. Calmly, he turned off his alarm and turned towards the tall boy. He was standing there, breathing heavily from the dancing. They’d danced non-stop for almost an hour. With a smile, he told the tall boy he had enjoyed dancing with him he would like to dance with him again. All by the use of his body. He told him he had to go, but he could come along if he wanted. With a last bright smile, he turned and walked off to join his waiting students.

Back on the roof, the tall boy stood and wondered who this person was. Who had he danced with? The shorter boy hadn’t uttered a single word, yet he had danced with him. Really danced with him. Which was weird for him. It had been a long time since he had done anything with someone. So long ago, he could barely remember it. And there was this weird feeling coming from the short boy. As if he was... ok with his awkward mutant self being there. As if the boy didn’t mind if he came back. He wasn’t yelled at, insulted and no name-calling either. Not a word at all, actually. The tall boy did something he had never done before and wasn’t sure he should do. He hurried down the ladder to follow the short boy. He could hear music blasting through the building and followed the beat to the studio. He snuck into the room, one wall decorated with huge mirrors. He saw the shorter speak - not speak, communicate - without uttering a word. He sat down next to the door and watched the teaching of the kids. Throughout the entire lesson, not one word was spoken. The man spoke with his body, and the kids understood. Their parents, on the other hand, didn’t, and he could hear the parents whispering about the shorter being mute and possibly stupid. The boy didn’t seem to mind though. He just kept on teaching and dancing with that same calm smile on his face. The tall boy would definitely come back if possible.

 


	2. Chapter two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Verbal abuse, bullying, and mention of drug use. Read carefully

“Alright, we’re done for the day. You did great as always, Himchan-ssi.” The photographer called out and Himchan relaxed his pose.

“Thank you.” He replied to the compliment and bowed with a smile. It had been three exhausting hours but now it was finally over and a rather large amount of cash was now Himchan’s. Though, not for long. It would be used to pay rent for two different apartments. And next week's money would be used for three people’s food and hygiene products. Then the week after that would be used for electricity, heat, water, and some alcohol. And the last week of the month's money would be used for beer, beauty products, some more alcohol, skanky clothes, even more alcohol and then a small amount would be left for Himchan to actually use for himself. Himchan's money was always saved up for emergencies. Neither his dad nor mom really worked. Thankfully, modeling paid the bills and he got his first scholarship way before his parents broke up. Thanks to his brain, he didn't have to save up money for an education.   
Bowing to the workers and thanking them for their hard work, Himchan made his way to the dressing room. He stripped off the tight clothes he had to wear for the shoot and removed his makeup. He wore his own pair of baggy jeans, a washed out t-shirt and an oversized hoodie on top. He messed up his hair with his fingers and nodded in approval of the bird's nest he had created. A quick look in the mirror confirmed him no one would be able to recognize him unless they took a good look at him. He left the dressing room and made his way towards the main entrance. He left the building through the door and turned towards a club. Not just any club, but currently his favorite club. The music they played in the club was nice. Considering his messy look and the fact no one from school really went there, meant that he could relax and have a good time. He didn't have to keep up his tight facade he had made so skillfully.  
When he arrived at the club, he slipped his way in quickly and looked around to see if any of the few tables were free. Everything was occupied. One of them with none other than Bang Yongguk and his crew of people that worked here. Himchan pulled up his hood and headed over to the bar instead. He ordered himself a beer. He usually wouldn’t do this, but this week had been too much and his budget allowed him to get slightly drunk. Only tonight, though, or he could wave goodbye to new underwear. He often got the clothes he wore while modeling if they were casual enough. Because of that, he didn’t have to use too much money on clothes. Underwear was not on the list though. Taking a sip of the glass he looked around. It wasn’t very crowded yet, but Himchan knew from experience that in less than an hour it would be packed. The live performances would start around then.  
He sipped at his beer while looking around the club, eyeing Yongguk once in awhile to see how he spent his nights at work.  
After about 30 minutes Himchan was done with his beer. He stood up and crossed the dance floor without attracting unnecessary attention. He went to the DJ-booth to request one of his favorite songs. He commented on the use of instruments in the song with a distorted voice an octave lower than usual. The DJ called out for a man who hurried to them and they were introduced to each other. The newly arrived young man was no other than Bang Yongguk himself and Himchan pulled his hood lower.  
“So you like instruments, huh?”  Yongguk asked curiously. Himchan just nodded, afraid his disguise would be ruined if he spoke.  
“Why don’t you show me what you’ve got? We have a piano in the corner over there.” He pointed towards a corner in the room and Himchan let his gaze follow the direction of the lifted finger. Himchan saw a beauty of a piano in the corner and nodded vigorously before thinking. He would definitely reveal himself by playing but it was too late.  
“Go sit and I’ll plug you in.” Yongguk told Himchan before he could retrieve his agreement to play.  
He sat on the piano stool. He could feel his emotions on the outside of his skin as his fingers reached for the keys of the piano. He felt vulnerable. The song he was going to play was sad. It was always sad. But this one had a certain feel and a more happy beat. Basically, it was the happiest Himchan could play. That was why it was one of his favorite songs.  
Yongguk was taken aback when he heard the sad but mesmerizing melody streaming from the speakers. He had heard that music before. Not the same melody but the same flow and magical feeling. He saw how the unknown boy lived for the music, the nodes, and the instruments. He wanted to know more about this person with the magical fingers.  
Everyone in the club felt the magic of Himchan’s music while Himchan lost himself in the universe that was only his. It came out of his very core and weaved out of his body into beautiful yet sad patterns. He opened up his entire being with all insecurities and let himself be fragile in front of the slowly growing number of people. And it felt great. The song came to an end and Himchan let the last tones linger in the room as silent tears slid down his cheeks. He hadn't noticed when he started crying. People cheered. Loudly. The sudden sound made Himchan look around in shock. Basically, the entire club had tears in their eyes and people were clapping for him. A small smile tugged at his lips, a small heat warming his heart for a minute. Looking around, he found himself at a loss. What was he supposed to do with that many people cheering for him? He was shy in the spotlight. Hiding further in his hood, he stood up and gave them a small bow and tried to look for an escape from all the eyes that were on him.  
“You wanna come backstage?” A voice asked and he immediately nodded, following his savior, Yongguk. This dude was alright when he didn’t try to act all tough and gangster at school.  
Backstage was peaceful and empty in relation to out there. Yongguk led him into an empty room and sat him on a small couch. The only thing that could be heard was a beating bass and the echo of people roaming around outside the door.  
“Where did you learn to play like that? It was beautiful.” Yongguk asked as he handed Himchan a tissue. The latter thankfully took it and dried his eyes while trying to figure out how he was supposed to avoid being caught.  
“I just play.” Himchan answered with his deeper, rougher voice, internally happy he had cried to crack his voice up to a deeper and gruffer version of his own.  
“I think I’ve seen you somewhere before. What’s your name?” Yongguk asked trying to get a closer look at the boy sitting next to him on the couch. Himchan was internally panicking and buried himself deeper in his hood.  
“Chan.” he answered shortly trying not to let his panic show. “I come here often.” he explained. Yongguk nodded in response but still had a suspicious glint in his eyes.  He really felt like he knew this person from somewhere. And his music had been so like Himchan’s. Heck, even his name was close to Himchan’s. It’s just that that Himchan would never come to a place like this, Yongguk thought to himself and looked closer at Chan who squirmed in his seat, nervously. Or act like this. This was practically the complete opposite of Himchan.  
“Boss says it’ll be okay for you to play every once in a while.” Yongguk told Himchan with a gummy smile on his lips. Himchan couldn’t help but smile back. It really was a cute smile, and if it wasn’t for Himchan giving up on anything being good besides music, then he might’ve fallen in love with that smile. “I’m actually jealous. I would like to perform my music in front of other people one day too. Starting with here if possible.” Yongguk continued dreamily and still smiling.

Himchan liked the Yongguk he got to know that evening. The emotional one. He liked the sweet smile and talkative young man that was well-hidden under his gangster attitude. As he walked through the dark streets on his way home, he had a small genuine smile on his face. He felt his mood a little brighter than usual. It was almost happy. A feeling he hadn’t felt in years. If not almost never. When he turned the corner and saw his rundown apartment block, the usual feeling of dread and exhaustion didn’t overwhelm him as much as usual.  
When he entered the apartment he saw his mother on the couch, laying exactly as he left her earlier that morning. The smell of alcohol filled the room and he could see white powder on the table next to a straw. Himchan scoffed at the expected sight and threw a couple of bills on the table. They would sustain her for a couple of days and hopefully keep her off his back. He would have to drop by his dad tomorrow morning to give him his share for the next days as the usual routine required. Otherwise unpleasant calls would pester him at school, yelling for more money. With a sigh, he went to his almost empty room and threw himself on his mattress. How he wished he could live just across the street in the newer apartment block instead of this rundown place.  
  


Jongup, who lived in the said apartment block, had been on his way home when he saw a familiar figure walk into the rundown block across from his own. It looked like one of the popular guys from his school, but he shook the impossible thought from his mind. It could just be the dark playing tricks on his eyes. He entered his apartment with his usual big smile on his face and greeted his parents in front of the small tv. He gave his mother a small peck on the cheek. They weren’t rich, but they got by.  
“How was your day, honey? Did you dance well?” his mother asked with a smile that looked like his own. As his dad quietly pushed their small table out of the way, Jongup nodded to his mother. He placed himself where the small table had been just before while he waited for his father to sit back down. He started dancing, using his body to tell his parents about what he had done during the day. His dad spoke the same language and his mother understood every move. It was his way of communicating his words, feelings, and thoughts without saying as much as a word.  
Jongup was rather fond of his parent’s story, even if it was rather sad in some ways. The two of them had met in college and fallen for each other, immediately. They had been a little careless and his mother had gotten pregnant. His grandma and grandpa had thrown her out and his father's parents had thrown him out for ‘meddling with the poor’. His parents survived and did well despite their obstacles. They had gotten Jongup’s big sister and soon after, his mom had gotten pregnant again, with Jongup this time. Throughout his childhood, there had only been one time a year that they could afford really spending money. But the four of them were fine with that. After Jongup’s sister had moved out, things had gotten easier and the three had gotten the small tv just a little less than a year ago.

“My boy is so talented.” His mom cooed when he finished. “I’m very proud of you.” Beside her, his dad told him the same thing in their own language. Jongup smiled brightly. He was very fond of his parents.  
“Your sister is coming to visit in a month. She called us today. She misses you so much.” His mother continued and Jongup’s smile brightened further at the news. He hadn’t seen his sister for 5 months. His dad squirmed slightly before letting his body speak. He asked him, if he had seen anything to the tall boy again? Jongup replied with a shake of his head and explained them the offer he had given the boy.  
“Aw, my son is so sweet. Come here so I can snuggle you like the teddy bear you are!” his mother exclaimed lovingly and pulled him down on the couch. She started to tickle him mercilessly and his dad joined in with a happy smile on his face. Jongup squirmed, struggled and laughed with both body and voice. As he was spending quality time with his family his mind drifted off to the tall boy from the roof.  
  
The tall boy entered the apartment where he lived with his mom and dad. He closed the door and heard glass or porcelain shatter right in front of him. A vase had been thrown from the living room against the wall in the hallway.  
“You BITCH! I thought I told you to stay at home and clean up this fucking mess! Now just look at the vase, all broken! It is a mess in here! God! How come it is impossible to find a wife who is able to clean these days?” His father yelled at his mother in the living room.  
“YA! Watch your mouth! If you didn’t drink up half of your money and spend the other half on whores I didn’t have to work my ass off for this so-called family!” His mother bit back furious and her temper as red as his favorite snack. Cherry tomatoes. He tried to sneak past the two of them, not wanting to get drawn into their fighting.  
“HEY, YOU! NOT SO FAST KID!” His father yelled at him. He froze on the spot with a foot 10 cm above the floor hoping he could act like a chameleon and become one with the wall. “Look at me when I am talking to you! I got your grades today. And I am NOT pleased! A B is not enough. YOU PULL YOUR SHIT TOGETHER OR ELSE........." The sentence was left unfinished, and Junhong was kind of happy about that. He didn't want to know what his father was thinking of doing. "Are we clear?” Junhong nodded not daring to look at his father. To be completely honest his father scared the shit out of him.  
“Y-yes father. I will do better. I'm sorry." He added to the nod.  
“Look at me you ungrateful son of...” his father trailed off. He looked at his mother first and her broken appearance made tears threaten to show in his eyes. His eyes continued on their way to his father. A tear trailing down his cheek.  
“Aw, such a softie.” His father teased sarcastically. “Didn’t I raise you to be a MAN?” his voice hollered through the room.  
“Well - blame the pathetic excuse of your mother for that.” Now tears were streaming down his face and onto the floor. He hated when his father humiliated his mother and yelled at her, blaming her for everything. He turned around and left the room before it would become any worse than it already was. He landed himself on his bed and sobbed quietly to himself. He could hear more fragile objects being thrown against the wall and shatter into uncountable pieces. His father kept screaming at his mother and she yelled back just as much. The quiet sobs turned into loud sobs, that turned into an uncontrolled crying. Crying his eyes out, the sounds from the living room turned from screaming of anger to screaming of pleasure followed by moans. He could conclude his parents were doing it on the dining table, from the sounds of wood against the floor. He covered his ears with his pillow and cried into the mattress. He fell asleep to the sounds of his parents. 


	3. Chapter Three

“Okay, class, welcome back. Did you have a nice weekend?” The teacher greeted them as she entered.   
Monday mornings are so much easier to handle when you have music theory as the second class, Yongguk thought with a small smile. First class is perfect skipping material though. Math. Yongguk shuddered slightly. It was not his favorite subject.   
“Okay, I trust that you all have gone to check who you’ve been paired up with. You’ll be composing a small song together. It doesn’t have to be a specific length, just make sure to display everything I’ve taught you. Any questions?” She continued. Yeah, Yongguk had one.  
“Why isn’t Himchan in a group? We’re even in numbers.” Yongguk asked in his deep voice.   
“Himchan asked to be alone, and I allowed him.” The teacher answered in a leveled voice.   
“For what reason?” he then asked, wanting to know why it was always like this. The class murmured quietly, obviously wanting to know why as well.

Himchan, on the other hand, was despite his relaxed demeanor, stiff with fear behind his mask.   
“He doesn’t work well in groups.” The teacher answered slowly. Himchan internally begged Yongguk, that stupid boy, to stop. To think he had been so nice back in the club when he was Chan.   
“Himchan works fine in groups in all the other subjects,” Yongguk argued. “If he’s allowed to be alone, then I’d like to be alone as well. I don’t work well with these... people,” he finished taking a glance at the class. The glance had a visual impact on the class. All of them suddenly looked very uncomfortable.   
“I won’t accept that excuse, you’ll be with your partner Yongguk.” the teacher said slowly losing her temper. Yongguk started arguing again  
“Then why d-”  
“Why don’t you shut up and mind your own business.” Himchan interrupted. This 'gangster' boy was getting on his nerves.   
“Why don’t you do like the rest of us and partner up, for once?” Yongguk retorted.   
“Why don’t you use that deep voice of yours to something else than threatening people?” Himchan spat back.   
“Shut up pretty boy. You think you’re so much better than the rest of us, just because of your ugly face.” Yongguk growled.   
“Well, it is not just because of my pretty face, you know. I am actually better than you are.” Himchan snapped back.   
“Then what are you...”   
“ENOUGH!” Yongguk was interrupted by the hysterical teacher. “Himchan. You’re with Yongguk. Sunggyu. You’re with Woohyun,” she spat out and the entire class fell silent in shock from the outburst. Her stance relaxed and she continued to speak in a cooled warning voice. “I will not hear a single complaint from anyone about this arrangement.”

Yongguk gulped. This was not what he intended. Himchan was white as a sheet. Things just took an unexpected turn.  
“Now pair up and do some serious composing,” the teacher ordered and the class immediately moved accordingly. Himchan and Yongguk glared at each other with indescribable hate as the two of them moved out of their seats and out into the hallway. Within the first 30 seconds, a loud verbal fight was already exchanged between them.  
Within 30 seconds after they sat down at a table, Himchan let loose his already boiling temper.  
“Why couldn’t you just shut the fuck up like the goody two shoes you usually are!?” he yelled at Yongguk.  
“Why can’t you just be treated like any other student in this school?” Yongguk boomed back.  
“I basically AM dickhead! And if I don’t, have you ever thought that there might be a REASON FOR IT!” Himchan spat at him.  
“What reason, besides being an obnoxious, talentless and arrogant shit for a human being, is there?” Yongguk fired back.

It hit hard on Himchan. Yongguk had basically just called him exactly what his parents called him at every opportunity they got.  
“You think you’re so tough, fuckface. You couldn’t hurt a fly even if your life depended on it!” Himchan mocked.  
“Don’t try me you loudmouthed sissy _fairy_. Just because you’re a model, doesn’t mean I’ll go easy on rearranging your face.” Yongguk growled in return.  
“I don’t think you have the guts to do it. You might have fooled the rest of the school, but I know exactly how soft and emotional you are. You wouldn’t dare to do SHI-”  
“WOULD YOU KEEP IT DOWN!” someone interrupted Himchan from behind them. A fuming teacher was standing outside a classroom door. You could almost see the steam boiling out of his ears. “I’m trying to teach and you’re distracting everyone,” he told them in a quieter voice, turned on his heel and walked back into the classroom, closing the door a little too harshly behind him.

In the said class Daehyun facepalmed himself. That is just typical Yongguk to be in a fight like that. He thought to himself as a firm red mark appeared on his forehead. Ouch! A little too hard.  
A giggle sounded through the room and Daehyun turned towards the sound. It was Seo Young. Daehyun quickly looked away and internally cursed himself for looking. It usually only encouraged the scary girl. Dear heavenly cheesecake, please free me from the endless looks and invitations from Seo Young, Daehyun prayed. I’ll even refrain from eating cheesecake for a whole day if you make my wish come true.  
The praying didn’t help. When class finished he felt a soft hand on his shoulder and an annoying giggle following suit.  
“OPPA! Why are you avoiding me?” Seo Young asked with a puke-worthy aegyo. Daehyun lifted his mask further up on his face for protection. “OMO! Aigoo. Are you hurt? Here let me blow on it and it will feel much better.” Before Daehyun could reach, she blew a soft cold wind on his forehead and kissed it softly when her lungs were empty. Daehyun stumbled backward from the kiss. He looked at her with wide eyes. He turned around and half ran down the hallway to get away from the girl. She was weird and obsessive.  
”OPPA!” Seo Young yelled after him as he stumbled around the corner, desperately looking for Yongguk. Someone knocked him backward onto the floor as he tried to spot his friend.  
“Ow, watch where you’re going!” the boy on the floor, in front of him, exclaimed.  
“Sorry,” Daehyun mumbled. This was so not his day. The boy groaned in pain as he tried to get up.  
“Daehyun, are you ok?” Yongguk appeared on his right and held out a hand to help him up. Taking the hand, Daehyun was pulled off the floor. “Yeah just ignore the person on the floor, groaning in pain,” the boy he had stumbled into grumbled.  
“I’m really sorry,” Daehyun repeated and held out a hand for the boy.  
“Forget it,” the boy spat and slapped his hand away.Yongguk growled slightly and looked like he was about to say something, but the boy got off the floor and basically disappeared limping into the mass of students passing by.  
“Sorry about Youngjae. That was mean.” Yongguk growled.  
“I did just run into him.” Daehyun defended the boy. He felt bad for him.

The said boy limped through the mass of students. He was heading towards his class, grumbling sourly. He was getting it from his parents later today. He had to go to a business dinner with his family. They were supposed to make a deal with the ones they were meeting with and Youngjae needed to make a good impression. And limping implied getting hurt, which people linked with troublemakers. At least according to his parents. Throwing himself down next to Jongup with a groan, he internally sighed at his life. Jongup looked at him with a question in his eyes. Youngjae waved his hand at him, not wanting to talk with the unintelligent boy right now. How was he going to explain to his parents that he had nothing to do with people running into him in the hallways?

Later that evening Youngjae found himself sitting at a table in a restaurant together with his parents and their business partners. The business partners were a couple around his parent’s age. The famous couple who inherited a large company in the same sector as his parents were. They had brought their daughter along. She was a year younger than him, and she was indeed beautiful. He was dressed formally with his hair combed back, just like his mother liked it. He had been scolded for his limping at home, which had caused them to leave the house a half an hour early, for Youngjae to sit down before the other people arrived. And he had received strong orders: _Do not stand up, until our guests leave!_ He should not drag unnecessary attention to himself as a troublemaker.  
So there he was sitting in his seat, and he very much needed the bathroom. He hadn’t moved from his spot in three freaking hours. Their guests arrived 30 minutes late and now they were eating their desserts. Youngjae could barely see through his eyes in desperation for the bathroom. His parents had not discussed business yet, so he knew it would be another hour or two before he was able to go. Their daughter kept trying to make a conversation with him, but he was simply unable to focus. He could only concentrate on how much time it would take him to cross the dining area and enter the bathroom. His father had kicked him several times across the shin to make him talk with the girl. When their guests finally left Youngjae flew out of the chair and into the bathroom before his mother could even consider scolding him for his odd behavior. According to them, they almost didn’t get the deal because of his behavior. They had bought the company from the couple to make their own even bigger and more powerful in their field. He sighed deeply and sincerely in relief, when his bladder started to empty and he had reached the bathroom without getting wet pants.  
When his bladder was finally empty (so great it felt) he returned to his parents who were waiting for him at the door.  
“I want to walk home. I’ll see you there,” he told them. His parents went to the car and left him alone, and Youngjae started limping towards his home. This was definitely not his day. As he limped home, he came across a park and decided to go in. It wasn’t like his parents were going to miss him. He sat down on a bench and looked at the starry night when Jongup came walking by.  
“Youngjae, what are you doing here?” he asked and Youngjae’s head shot up in surprise. Jongup just actually talked. This is so weird, he thought to himself. Jongup NEVER talks.   
“Yes I do. Just not very often.” Jongup answered and sat down next to Youngjae.  
“Eh?” Youngjae asked.How did he just know what I was thinking?  
“First time, you thought out loud, now, the confusion is palpable,” Jongup answered. Youngjae stared open-mouthed at Jongup.  
“Did you just say palpable?” Jongup nodded at the question. “I thought you were stupid?” Youngjae blurted out and clapped a hand over his mouth. But Jongup just smiled.  
“Many think in those lines, but the truth is quite the contrary, Hyung.” He answered a gaping Youngjae.  
“Hyung?” Youngjae asked baffled. “Aren’t we the same age?” Jongup shook his head.  
“No I’m a year younger. I skipped a year,” he answered as Youngjae’s mouth widened further. Wasn’t this the night of discoveries. Jongup talks, isn’t stupid and actually skipped a grade. Youngjae felt bad. All this time he had thought that Jongup was just an empty shell with a smile. And now it was time to do the last discovery: “So... What are you doing here at this time of the day?” Youngjae asked curiously.  
“I’m on my way home from dance practice,” Jongup answered smiling happily. “What about you? What are you doing in this area of the city?” Youngjae looked at Jongup.  
“I-uh- I just-uh, I’m just walking home. Didn’t feel like driving with my parents.” Youngjae replied. He didn’t know if he should confide in the suddenly talkative and apparently smart boy.  
“You’re not keen of your parents,” Jongup commented, saying what Youngjae thought of telling. He slowly nodded, uncomfortable with how easily Jongup read him. It was like he was some kind of mind reader.  
“I have to go now, Hyung. My parents are waiting for me.” Jongup said, breaking the silence with a smile. “See you tomorrow,” Youngjae said as Jongup stood up and nodded in answer. When Jongup was out of sight, Youngjae stood up with a groan and started walking. It was about time he went home too. If he came home too late, he would get another scolding from his parents and one per day was honestly enough

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The third chapter is now up and released. I've personally been about to die from embarrassment at some of the mistakes we've corrected in this chapter. And I made Kaiten suffer with me too, reading out loud the worst mistakes. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: graphic description of violence

 

Daehyun wiped his hands with a cloth and subconsciously licked his lips. There it was. Waiting for him. Cheesecake. He could hear angels singing hallelujah as he picked up the plate. That delicious looking slice of heaven was on it. He made his way to the table where Yongguk was waiting for him. The discount on these cakes was the reason why he worked in the small café. And breaks were always spent eating them. Always.  
”What are you grumbling about?” he asked as he sat down in front of Yongguk.  
“FuckingKim Himchan. I can’t work with him!” Yongguk answered, cringing when pronouncing the object of his frustrations' name. Daehyun sighed but his attention was lost when he placed the first bite of cheesecake in his mouth. Oh, the delicious mixture of sweetness sent from heaven.  
“Yah! Are you even listening?” Yongguk exclaimed, pulling Daehyun out of the world of Paradise on his tongue.  
“Uhm- oh- ah- yeah. Kim Himchan. What about him?” Yongguk let out a loud sigh at Daehyun’s answer.  
“The fuck man? Why don’t you ever listen? It makes me wonder why I’m friends with you.” Yongguk complained.  
“Well sorry that I am caught up in my own world of cheesecake once in a while. I mean it’sCheesecake.” Daehyun defended himself (and the cheesecake). He never did get why his friend wasn’t enchanted by the wonderful world of cheesecakes.  
“I have been thinking lately. A lot actually. I want to form a band, and I want you to sing” Yongguk commented. A piece of cheesecake got stuck in Daehyun’s throat and he started sputtering and coughing. If anything could pull Daehyun out of his world, it was the mention of him and singing in the same sentence.  
“WHAT? YOU CRAZY?!?” he yelled. The café was suddenly quiet and everyone’s eyes were on the two of them. Daehyun sat down, suddenly realizing he was standing.  
“You crazy!?” he asked again in a much quieter tone.  
“No. I am serious. I really want you to join.” Yongguk answered unaffected by the staring or Daehyun’s prior outburst.  
“But I can’t sing. You know that!” Daehyun sighed frustrated.  
“Yes, you can. We just have to work a little on your stage fright. And you won’t be the only one singing. I’m planning on finding some others as well.” Yongguk assured while trying to convince Daehyun.  
“But I can’t sing Yongguk. I simply can’t.” Daehyun replied, using Yongguk’s actual name for once instead of Hyung. It was only in completely serious occasions that he did this.  
“Yes, you can. I believe in you Daehyun. And it’s a shame that you’re hiding that voice of yours from the world. Plus, we won’t be the only ones. I’m going for around 5 or 6 people.” Yongguk tried to manipulate Daehyun into agreeing.   
“Who are the others then?” Daehyun asked still not convinced.  
“I don’t know yet. Not completely, at least,” Yongguk admitted. Daehyun let out a sigh and slumped back in his seat. He opened his mouth to say something, but Yongguk beat him to it.  
“I’ve got a couple of people I want to look into. One I’m not completely sure about yet, but the other one plays beautiful music.” Yongguk looked dreamily into the air as he began to tell his story, clearly not with Daehyun anymore.  
“It was like magic. He came up to request a song but wanted it to be played a certain way. So the DJ at my club called for me and I led him to the piano and plugged him in. And then he played. The song was so sad it made me want to cry, but it enchanted the whole place with its beauty. Never in my life have I heard someone play like that.” Yongguk returned to the real world and looked at Daehyun. Suddenly the expression of an excited school girl showed up on his face.  
“Afterwards, I took him backstage and talked with him a bit. Well, I talked and he mostly just listened. I don’t think he’s a big speaker. But apparently he comes to my club often and he’s probably going to play again. You know he was crying. I saw the tears roll down his cheeks. I never saw his eyes though. His face was covered by his hood and he kept hiding further in it, every time I tried to see his face. He looked kind of familiar but then again not at all. But back to the beginning. His voice is a really nice deep one. If my ears aren’t failing me, then he’ll be a good singer and maybe rapper if he can hold the beat.” Yongguk finished with lights in his eyes and a huge gummy smile on his lips. Daehyun couldn’t help but smile at his Hyung. He could see how much he was in love with the music this mysterious man produced. If it was only half as good as Yongguk described it, it would be fantastic. Daehyun felt some curiosity boil in his stomach. Then he remembered his cheesecake. He grabbed his fork and dug into the slice of heaven once more. Calmed by the sweet taste and the rising curiosity he agreed to try Yongguk’s offer.

At home, Yongguk greeted his parents and his twin brother with a skip in his step and a smile on his lips. He had gotten Daehyun to agree.  
“Daehyun agreed!” his twin yelled in surprise when Yongguk opened his mouth to tell him that exact thing. Instead, he nodded happily and gummy smiles were exchanged between the two identical looking boys.  
“Why are you yelling Yongnam!?” their mom yelled as she entered with a pot of whatever they were having for dinner.  
“Yeah you’re TOO LOUD!” their dad yelled coming in behind their mom with plates, glasses, and chopsticks. Yongguk and Yongnam just stuck their tongues out at their parents. This always happened when they accidentally yelled.  
During dinner, Yongguk couldn’t keep his smile off his face. This was simply too good of a day. Yongnam sent him smiles across the table as well, happy for his brother. When they finished dinner, Yongguk even willingly offered to help with the dishes.  
“What’s the occasion?” his mom asked as they carried the dishes into the kitchen.  
“I’m happy.” Yongguk simply answered still smiling widely.  
“No, really? I hadn’t noticed,” she replied dryly. He grinned back sheepishly as he put the plates into the dishwasher. “But tell me what has made my son so happy?” she asked and focused completely on him.  
“You know how I’ve talked about putting together a band? Well, I’ve found some people whom I could use. And the first one, Daehyun, just said he’ll try today. You know how well he sings, and his voice will be simply perfect.” Yongguk told excitedly. “And then I met someone at work.”  
“Who did you meet? Is it a girl? Does she look nice? Did she pick up trash from the floor or what?” his mom interrupted him. Yongguk mentally facepalmed.  
“No mom, there’s no girl. And just because I like people who have morals, does not mean that I start crushing on some random girl who picks up trash!” he complained. He never did get why his mom got the idea that he gets crushes on anyone picks up trash on the street.  
“Aw, I was hoping for you to find someone so I can have a daughter in law. Your brother is hopeless when it comes to those matters.” she pouted.  
“HEY! I can hear you!” Yongnam yelled from the living room.  
“Not my problem!” his mom yelled back with a twinkle in her eyes. “But tell me about this person you met at the club,” she added and turned her full attention back on him.  
“His name is Chan," he started, emphasizing on the gender marker. "He played the piano at the club, and I tell you. Wauw. It was magical. He had the whole club enchanted. It was nothing less than beautiful. When he finished I took him backstage so he could get some peace from all the cheers he got. You know he was crying. It was a really sad song he played. But his voice is deep, not as deep as my own, but deep. And I think he’ll be good at singing or rapping. I’m going to ask him next time I see him at the club. He promised me he’ll play again you know.” Yongguk told his mom.  
“Sounds exciting. I hope he agrees. We’ve got your back as long as you do your best in school as well. We want you to have something to fall back on if this doesn’t work. Though I think it will with your talent. I’m so proud of you,” his mother told him and ruffled his hair affectionately.

In the school, Jongup found himself and the tall silent boy dancing once more. They were using a shared language without words to communicate. They were dancing and moving to the music like their life depended on it. When the tall boy fell to the floor and stayed there in exhaustion, Jongup joined him and silently decided this was it for today. Their shirts stuck to their torsos and their hair clung to their faces while they gasped for the much-needed oxygen. Jongup was the first to get up and grab his bag. The boy followed right after and they left the studio in silence. They walked side by side. Apparently, they lived in the same direction. A group of bullies stopped in front of them. The boy backed down and shrunk in size when he saw them. Obviously, he was scared of them. Jongup wasn’t though. He stood in front of his new-found silent friend and flexed his muscles. He placed himself so he looked much bigger than he really was and the bullies backed away. They were scared. When they were out of sight, Jongup relaxed and left the boy on the sidewalk. The boy needed time.

“I have to leave early, I have to go to work.” Himchan told Yongguk as he sat down next to him. It wasn’t ideal but nothing was ideal in Himchan’s life, so all he had to deal with now was Yongguk’s reaction to the news. The reaction being a death glare that almost felt like it could kill. If Himchan didn’t know of Yongguk’s soft side, he probably would have been scared. An icy silence settled over the two of them as they glared at each other.  
“Well, then we’d better get to work now.” Yongguk said, straining a somewhat polite tone. Himchan nodded slowly and the two went back to glaring at each other.  
“Do you have anything?” Yongguk asked him, still sending icy glares.  
“Not really. Though I might have some ideas and I refuse to do a four-chord song.” Himchan replied icily.  
“I agree on the four-chord song. And I have a couple of beats I’d like to try out.” Yongguk said just as icily. Himchan nodded.  
“Shall we go find something so you can show me?” he proposed politely as possible and Yongguk agreed with a short nod. The two of them raised themselves out of their seats and went to find a drumpad in cold silence. The aura around them invited to an ice storm.  
As much as Himchan hated to admit it, the beats were pretty good and they could use one of them. He wasn’t going to tell Yongguk that he actually liked them, though. All he got was a short nod of acceptance.  
“Let’s go hear what you’ve come up with.” Yongguk said when he’d showed the different beats.  
“No.” Himchan replied. He was not playing for that idiot or anyone for that matter.  
“What?” Yongguk asked clearly suppressing his anger.  
“No.” Himchan repeated firmly, challenging the silent threat.  
“Why?” Yongguk growled, almost unable to contain the anger boiling in his body.  
“Because.” Himchan answered, not knowing how to give an explanation that didn’t involve the truth. Suddenly Yongguk was out of his seat, eyes shooting lightning at the boy in front of him.  
“The fuck!? That isn’t a proper excuse! Play!” Yongguk almost yelled. Himchan raised himself out of his own seat and glared at Yongguk.  
“No! I’m not playing!” he replied firmly not cowering the slightest in Yongguk’s fiery glare.  
“Why are you not playing!? Sadly, we need to work together on this shit!” Yongguk growled clenching his fists.  
“Because I don’t play for dickheads like you!” Himchan almost yelled back. He knew he was being unreasonable, but this was the asshole who landed them in this situation in the first place.  
“What!? Yah Shitface! I think you misunderstood the fucking principle of working together!” Yongguk yelled.  
“Who got me into this mess!? You, you fucking asshole! If it wasn’t for you, I’d be doing this by myself, like I was supposed to!” Himchan yelled angrily.  
“You little dickface! You really think you’re all that!?” Yongguk yelled and grabbed Himchan’s collar, ready to beat the little sucker up.  
“Oh, little Yongguk wants to fight?” Himchan cooed mockingly, not frightened by the tight grip on his collar. This was nothing compared to his parents.  
Yongguk snapped. Letting one hand go, he pulled his arm back and punched Himchan squarely in the jaw. The impact pushed Himchan backward but years of experience gained him balance enough to not fall down. Himchan tasted a familiar metallic taste as he licked his lips.  
“Is that all you got, I thought you were supposed to be strong,” he mocked the other. Yongguk was fuming and had a hateful glint in his eyes. Yongguk lunged after him, furiously, but Himchan skillfully dodged the blow. Several punches flew past Himchan’s ears as he dodged and twisted his way around them, mocking Yongguk with small mutterings of how pathetic he was and a twisted smile on his face. One of Yongguk’s punches finally hit home and Himchan’s head turned at the impact. For a slight moment, Himchan could see his dad looming above him, drunk and drugged. But the sight faded as fast as it had come and Yongguk’s slightly grinning face greeted him. Himchan hooked his leg around Yongguk’s and pulled all with all his might. Yongguk fell down, colliding hard with the floor. With everyone’s eyes on them, they rolled around, punches flying everywhere.  
“You’re such a bad boy aren’t you?” Himchan mocked Yongguk as he pinned him down. A punch landed in his face and Yongguk rolled them over.  
“Shut up bitch. You really think you’re all that? You’re a fucking little slutty shit,” he retorted Himchan planted a fist in Yongguk's stomach. A sharp pain landed on Himchan’s back as they rolled against a table. Using the table to his advantage, he pulled Yongguk over him and pushed him against the table.  
“I am all that, fuckface. Au contraire to you. You can’t even throw a proper fist, softie.” Himchan growled confidently as he threw another punch in Yongguk’s direction. It never hit though, as someone pulled the two of them from each other. Struggling, the two of them tried to break free from whoever was holding them apart to get at each other’s throats again.  
“Himchan! Yongguk! Stop!” their teacher shouted sternly. The two of them stopped struggling to be released and accepted they were restrained.  
“From tomorrow on, you will both be in detention together. You will be in detention until you can figure out how to behave properly around each other.” she told them sternly, lightning flashing in her eyes. “You two will go to the infirmary and get yourselves patched up, and if I hear a single word about you two fighting again, I’ll have you expelled faster than you can say 'Pink Floyd'. The rest of you are going to clean up their mess. Anything broken will be replaced by the two of you. Do you understand?” she ordered. Yongguk and Himchan sent glares at each other but nodded anyways.Ripping himself out of the hold that still made sure he didn't attack Himchan, Yongguk stalked to the door and went out. Himchan followed in a much calmer way, sending a few apologetic smiles at the people he passed on the way. As he closed the door behind him, he could hear Yongguk in the distance cursing his existence. He let out a dry laughter and wiped a palm across his jaw where a trickle of blood was making its way down. If there was one thing he’d agree with Yongguk about, it was that his existence was a curse. He wasn’t about to tell the jerk that, though.

Yongguk stormed down the hallways of the school, not noticing where he went. He heard some muffled noises from the dance studio and decided to go check it out. It was not like he was that hurt from fighting with Himchan. Carefully he opened the door, trying not to disturb whoever was in there. Inside he found a tall boy dancing and rapping. And he was good. The boy held the beat perfectly as he rapped and still managed to dance to the point. Yongguk watched the boy in awe, losing track of time. Suddenly, the boy stopped all movements and spun around to look at Yongguk. His entire demeanor changed, slouching his shoulders, pulling his head in and fear dilated in his eyes. Yongguk was shocked at how fast the before confident boy had turned into a scared young kid. He stepped forward and the tall boy cowered backward instantly.  
“Hey, I’m not going to hurt you.” Yongguk said soothingly. His image right now with a bruised and bloodied face might not have been the best for the situation. The boy obviously didn’t believe him. “You’re very good at dancing and rapping,” he complimented the scared boy, trying to gain his trust. A weird light shone in the boy’s eyes but the fear didn’t disappear.  
“What’s your name?” he asked and stepped forward again. The boy looked scared, his eyes flashing in between Yongguk and the door. In less than a second, the tall boy had rushed past Yongguk and out the door.  
Not wanting to lose the talented boy, Yongguk bolted after him.They ran down the halls and Yongguk chased him out of the school grounds, trying to gain on the tall boy but he was fast.  
“WAIT!” he yelled at the tall boy, but the boy did exactly the opposite and sped up. Yongguk lost track of where he was running to and just focused on the tall boy.  
“Please wait!” he yelled at the fleeing boy again. The boy turned his head to look at him and tripped over his own feet, falling head first to the ground. Luckily, they had just entered a park with a grass field, so he didn’t kiss the concrete.  
“Are you ok?” Yongguk gasped out between heavy pants upon reaching the boy. The boy didn’t say anything but just looked up at him with stains of grass and dirt in his face. He felt pity for the poor thing. Yongguk held out his hand, wanting to help the boy up. The boy stood up on his own and balantly ignored Yongguk's offered hand.  
“Please just hear me out ok?” Yongguk requested before the boy could bolt off again. A nervous nod answered him and Yongguk continued. “I’m putting together a group. With rappers and singers, the whole thing. And you’re really good at rapping and dancing. We’re only two right now, but I’m hoping to end up with five or six people. It’s going to be mostly hip hop. Will you join us?” the boy looked at Yongguk with uncertainty when he finished his proposal. The two of them stood in silence for a while catching their breaths, Yongguk desperately hoping the talented boy would agree. After what felt like an eternity, the tall boy slightly shrugged his shoulders and took off again, running as fast as his long legs could carry him. Yongguk sighed and was about to set after him when he saw a familiar figure walking towards one of the buildings next to the park. Curious, he dropped running after the tall boy and went closer to see exactly who it was. It was Himchan. Yongguk caught sight of his slightly bruised face just as he went inside. At a closer look, he found out the building was a modeling agency. He grinned slightly to himself. Oh yeah, Himchan was the model. He’d most likely be scolded for showing up bruised. It somehow made him feel great that the boy had some difficulties in his “perfect” life.  
With that thought in mind, Yongguk took out his phone from his pocket and absentmindedly pressed a familiar set of numbers. Putting the phone up to his ear, he waited for his friend to pick up.  
“Yeah?” Daehyun’s voice sounded through the speaker.  
“Yeah? Is that how you greet me? A tad disrespectful, don’t you think? I’m older than you.” Yongguk complained.  
“Yeah a year. Get to the point, I’m eating.” Daehyun brushed his friends comment off on the other side of the line.  
“I have a job for you. A perfect opportunity for you to be the creepy stalker you are.” Yongguk replied and heard a small ‘yay!’ from the other side. He smirked.  
“Who is it?” Daehyun asked excitedly.  
“I don’t know his name. But I’ll send you a list of descriptions of the guy. Or show you him if I spot him tomorrow at school. I want you to find out as much as you can about him.” Yongguk explained the 'mission' to his friend.  
“I’ll be on it Hyung! Oh, this is gonna be fun.” Daehyun excitedly said and added a small creepy giggle.  
“You’re a real creeper, you know that right?” Yongguk told his friend with a slight shiver at the image of Daehyun giving his “creeper” stare.

 

 

 


	5. Chapter Five

Operation _follow-tall-boy-and-find-out-everything-about-him_ initiated. Daehyun muttered to himself. His voice was dramatic like it was a top secret mission he was on. He had spotted the tall boy that fit Yongguk’s descriptions. Tall, blonde, young face, scared stance, hunched shoulders and, Daehyun noticed, that it was the same unfortunate boy that had food spilled all over his shirt last week. Bullied, Daehyun wrote down in his notepad. Usually, he didn’t need it, he remembered everything but Yongguk would need it, so hence the notes.  
“Move along freak! You’re blocking the hallway!” someone yelled at the tall boy and he did just that.Namecalling: Freak, Daehyun noted down quickly before following the boy to wherever he might go.  
“Mutant!” someone called the boy as he walked through the halls. Daehyun noted it down, never removing his eyes from the tall boy. He followed the boy outside into the almost empty schoolyard. It would be harder to hide himself out there, but he was a professional. He wasn't worried.  
“Daehyun oppa!” a witch’s scream was heard and Daehyun flinched. Not now, he thought and muttered a string of Yongguk’s favorite curses. Not caring about anything, he ran for the entrance to the school grounds. The operation was in danger. The witch must not catch him. Luckily, the tall boy was heading out of the school as well. He wouldn’t have to ditch the important operation. The target exited the school grounds a few seconds later than Daehyun did and luckily turned the direction in which Daehyun was hiding. When he walked past him, he had fished out his phone to look as inconspicuous as possible. Giving the target 30 seconds in distance, Daehyun followed the boy through the streets of the city. Sometimes he was hidden in the mass of people, other times he moved expertly to make him invisible to the boy. He had spent years perfecting this skill. The only one he who could see past it was his childhood friend Yongguk.  
The target entered a building, and Daehyun quickly noted down its address. Next to it, he wrote 'dance school'. The front hall was almost empty and as Daehyun looked around, he couldn’t find the target. Closing his eyes, he focused, trying to find the now familiar footsteps he had been following around. There. Going up the stairs to the right. Opening his eyes, he quickly went to the stairs, looking as if he knew where he was going. Soon after, he caught up with the target. He hid in doorways and behind chairs. He hid everywhere he could whenever the target looked back. The target reached a door at the end of the hallway and entered. Daehyun followed to the door and waited until he had counted to 15 slices of cheesecake. He pushed the door slightly ajar and peeked through the small crack. It was the rooftop. He pushed the door open just enough for him to push through the crack. Silently he closed the door behind him and looked around. He spotted two boys dancing without music. One was the target, the other was...he was...he was... wauw. Wauw was what he was.   
He silently tiptoed further onto the roof and hid behind the outlet of the ventilation system. From there he was safe from being spotted by the dancers, but he could still see them. The target was really good, and Daehyun could see what Yongguk had said about him being really talented, but the other...the other...the other could do something. Daehyun didn't know why, but he was...captivated. The boy made him feel hungry, yet he wasn’t hungry. More like the tingly hungry feeling without being actually hungry. It was the same feeling he got when he craved cheesecake. Daehyun watched them dance for hours, never ripping his eyes off the two boys. When the dancers suddenly stopped dancing, the two of them sat down without a word, bodies covered in sweat and gasping for breath.  
“My name is Junhong.” The target suddenly said. It was quiet and he visibly cringed at the sound of his name. They didn’t know each other? Daehyun thought shocked and noted the name in his block.  
“Jongup.” The other boy answered with a smile that made Daehyun feel really hungry again in that not hungry but hungry for cheesecake way. Jongup stood up then and looked at the target and seemed to say... something. Without speaking. It was just a feeling Daehyun got, that Jongup was going to go now and that he liked dancing with the target. _Weird_ , Daehyun thought to himself and caught himself staring at Jongup instead of the target.  
Jongup left and the target stayed, sitting quietly on the ground, catching his breath. Daehyun started noticing a pain in his limbs from standing still so long. A quick glance at his watch told him he had been there for two hours. Waiting for the target to stand up and get on, he scribbled down the relationship between Jongup and the target and added a small note to find out more about their relationship. The target seemed to be afraid of basically everyone except Jongup. After a while, the target stood up and went back inside. Daehyun gave him _15 slices of cheesecakes_ before following him back inside. He followed him back through the building and out of the front doors. Going through the streets, Daehyun noted the way for future use and when the target entered an apartment block in a middle-class area, he noted down the address. Standing outside the building, he contemplated if the target would come out again, but he didn’t seem to be the type. He kept his attention on the apartment block from a little distance.  
“CHOI JUNHONG! Can you explain why I was stopped on the street today, only to be told that you are dancing on the rooftop? Huh?” A very angry sounding man’s voice emitted from an apartment. The window was slightly agape and the sound came slightly muffled but clear enough. Junhong? That was the name of the target! Daehyun thought to himself. For some time there were a complete silence. Even the birds stopped chirping.  
“You what?!? You tell me you met a friend and you danced with him on the rooftop in school? Why were you not in class? You really WANT to get those B's don’t you?!” The voice appeared again. Smart kid, Bs and A grades were noted in the notebook. “And then you don’t even bring me some beer, you useless piece of shit. I can't even believe I call you my son!” Alcoholic father Daehyun wrote down. This list is getting endless. Daehyun thought to himself.  
“Stop yelling at him! I didn’t give him money to get the beers with.” A desperate female voice sobbed from the window.  
“I don’t fucking care, you bitch. You should know to give him money, and he should spend his own money if you don’t give him any!” the father yelled back. A plant came flying through the window and Daehyun flinched as the pot shattered against the pavement. Abusive and alcoholic father. Daehyun noted. A loud slap was heard through the window followed by a scream of pain from the target. At that second Daehyun decided to leave. He had seen and definitely heard enough for one day.

The next day, Daehyun is nearing the school.  
“Daehyun Oppa!” a chorus of girls’ voices is heard. He lifts his head and spots the group of girls in front of him. He placed his hand on his mask as if to bring it closer to his face, as he ran off in the opposite direction.  
He turned around several corners only to come to a hold when he noticed Junhong walking towards him. Shoulders scrunched up, head low and a searing red mark of five fingers on his chin, pathetically covered up by a thick layer of foundation. Once more he turned around before the target would notice him. He walked casually until he reached the last corner to turn before he reached the gates. He let his creeper-mode activate and listened for the girls, but they were gone. He sighed in relief and walked into the school. Creeper-mode still on the loose, he searched for Yongguk. Heavy footsteps followed by a deep rumbling by a voice, Daehyun was on the right direction of his friend. He stalked off to find him.  
When he reached his friend, he held out the notebook and Yongguk took it. Yongguk casually opened it and started to read the endless list of knowledge his creeper-friend had gathered the day before.

Yongguk was quite shocked by the findings, to say it the least. The poor boy was bullied by everybody in school, he was called names. And at home - which was supposed to be his free space - his father was alcoholic and abusive. No wonder Junhong walked around like he was scared a bomb would explode next to him any second. I will make it my personal mission, to gain this boy’s trust. And that Jongup boy as well. Yongguk thought to himself as he finished reading the list of information.   
“How should we convince them to join?” Yongguk asked his friend. He was completely at a loss on how to convince them to joining their group.  
“The key is Jongup,” Daehyun replied. Yongguk noticed a different light taking over Daehyun's eyes as he said the name. Yongguk looked weirdly at his friend. Daehyun had been acting like this ever since he came back from the 'mission'.  
“Yeah, you already said that but how?” Yongguk emphasized. The loud clank of someone slamming a fork down into a plate was heard behind them and they turned to the small table with a chubby cheeked rich guy. Youngjae.  
“Oh for god’s sake! You’ve been repeating the exact same thing for an hour now! You go up and ask the guy! Simple as that!” the boy told them obviously more than annoyed and stalked out of the small café. The two boys sat and stared after him for a while, neither of them knowing what to say.  
“I hate to say it, but he’s right you know.” Yongguk said after a while. Daehyun nodded slowly and took a bite of his cheesecake.  
“Can I talk to Jongup?” he asked excitedly with that same glint in his eyes after he swallowed the cheesecake.  
  
The club was almost filled when Himchan arrived. He had barely sat down at the bar when a familiar voice yelled through the crowd for him. Staying put, he contemplated whether or not it was a wise choice to come. If Yongguk recognized the bruises he had inflicted on him, then Himchan’s cover as Chan would be screwed.  
“Chan! I’m glad you came!” Yongguk greeted him as he sat down beside him. Himchan nodded with a small smile and pulled his hood to cover more of his face. Yongguk was so nice and cute here.  
“My boss wanted to ask if you wanted to play again?” Yongguk continued smiling and then suddenly turned shy. “Plus I’d really like it if you did,” he muttered and Himchan couldn’t help but smile rather widely, despite the stinging in his lip it caused. Himchan nodded and stood up.  
“Great!” Yongguk exclaimed excitedly. “Let’s go,” he said, grabbed Himchan’s hand and gently dragged him through the crowd of people to the beautiful piano. Sitting down on the stool, Himchan let his fingers lightly stroke the black and white tangents.  
“Don’t be nervous,” Yongguk told him with a gummy smile. “You can play whatever you want. I’ll go plug you in,” he continued and then left Himchan with a comforting smile. How could this be the same guy that he fought with, throwing fists in anger? When the music died down, Himchan pressed down the tangents to form a chord that emitted a happy sadness. After that, the nodes just kept flowing. All the pain he experienced flowed out uncontrollably through his playing, but that weird happy feeling, that this Yongguk gave, braided itself through it as well. It was weird how he hated the Yongguk at school so much but felt so comfortable around the Yongguk here. He let the nodes fade out slowly, finishing off and came back to the club. Tears were streaming down his cheeks again. Looking out he saw the many people looking at him, some with tears in their eyes, some crying. Sudden stage fright hit him at the sight of the many people. They started clapping loudly and it felt kind good despite his discomfort of so many people looking at him. Yongguk’s face caught his eye as the said boy moved towards him. He was crying silently, but a small comforting smile grazed on his lips telling him that he did great and he was there to save him from the crowd's eyes.  
“Come on, let’s get you backstage.” Yongguk said quietly in his ear when he reached Himchan at the piano. The latter nodded thankfully and followed Yongguk through the clapping crowd as the music started playing again.  
“That was beautiful.” Yongguk complimented him when they arrived backstage, in the room where Yongguk took him last time. Himchan smiled and wiped his eyes in the depth of his hood with his hands.  
“Tissue?” Yongguk offered as he held out a hand with the said thing in hand. Himchan nodded and took the offered object to dry his eyes and cheeks. The tears stung in his wounds.  
“What happened to your face?” Yongguk asked with worry all over his face. Himchan couldn’t help but laugh slightly at the worry Yongguk showed for the wounds he had caused himself.  
“It’s nothing,” Himchan answered with a rough voice, pulling away from the hand that reached out for his hood.  
“Chan, your lip is split and now that I can see it properly, your chin is blue. Did you get in a fight with someone?” Yongguk asked worriedly and Himchan let out a dry laugh. The irony of the situation was indescribably funny. Yeah you, Himchan answered mentally, but only shrugged his shoulders.  
“What does that mean?” Yongguk asked trying to get a closer look at Himchan who in return buried himself deeper in his hood.  
“I fell,” Himchan told him trying to avoid an inspection as he mentally facepalmed himself for such a stupid answer. Yongguk looked dumbstruck.  
“And you want me to believe that?” he asked obviously looking through the lie. Himchan nodded nervously. This was not the time nor place for Yongguk to find out he was in fact Himchan. The boy in front of him looked doubtfully at him for a while.  
“Alright then. You fell and it now looks like you were in a fight, even though the wounds inflicted by the two situations look completely different.” Yongguk complied to Himchan’s relief. This boy was extremely nice.  
“But can you at least let me look at the wounds? They look pretty recent,” he continued. Himchan hurried to shake his head. Yongguk looked at him like a child being denied his favorite snack.  
Reminded of the fight Himchan took a closer look at the worried boy in front of him. He had covered up his own wounds in poorly done make-up. Himchan couldn’t help the tug on the corner of his lips. The image of Yongguk trying to put on make-up was rather entertaining.  
“What are you laughing at?” Yongguk asked curiously.  
“What happened to you?” Himchan asked him, wanting to know what Yongguk would say about their fight.  
“You can see?” Yongguk asked awkwardly while scratching his neck. Himchan nodded in response.  
“Aw sucks, I really tried with the makeup thing. I thought this try went pretty well. I honestly tried for hours.” Yongguk admitted embarrassed, which Himchan silently laughed at.  
“I got into a fight at school with one of my classmates. I’m not usually like that, it’s just that this guy drives me over the edge. He’s so arrogant, stupid, loud, and selfish. Thinks he’s fucking everything, walking around the place like he owns it. We were supposed to work together on a project, but the dude refused to participate like the arrogant self-centered person, he is. He’s completely opposite of you.” Yongguk explained, getting slightly worked up as he talked. Himchan didn’t know what to feel. On one side, he thought this was extremely hilarious, Yongguk talking about him in front of him, saying that he was completely different than himself. On the other sid,e he felt sad that this person in front of him was talking so badly about him. It hurt. But then again, it wasn’t really him. It was his image, and apparently, it covered up for his true self perfectly. Mission accomplished. _Right_?  
“He sounds awful,” Himchan told Yongguk. “But you shouldn’t get into fights with him.” he reprimanded. It hurts like fuck, he added mentally. Yongguk nodded in reply, smiling a gummy smile he opened his mouth to say something, but the door opened interrupting him.  
“Yongguk-ah, you have forty minutes before you’re on. Yongnam’s here, by the way, you’ll be in charge of him tonight.” a young man in the door said and left again after Yongguk nodded in response.  
“I’ve been wanting to ask you something. Can you sing? Or rap? Because your voice sounds like you’d have a very good voice for rapping if you can hold a beat.” Yongguk started and Himchan just shrugged his shoulders at the weird question. It wasn’t like he was going to try in front of Yongguk. He might recognize him.  
“I’m putting together a group, we’re going to be 5 or 6 people in the end, and I was kinda hoping that you would join. Because I really believe that your voice will be awesome and your feel for music is nothing less than beautiful,” he finished looking hopefully at Himchan. The latter sat stunned. It was common knowledge at school that Bang Yongguk had a huge talent for music and that he had only ever complimented two people when it came to music. Actually, he never praised anyone except for those two times. He was a “gangster”. Himchan knew he was great, he wouldn’t get scholarships, wouldn't have since middle school, for nothing. But hearing someone praise him for what he lives and breathes for still affected him.  
“Hey, are you crying? Did I say something wrong?” Yongguk panicked. Himchan shook his head and smiled a small smile. Worried Yongguk was a pretty cute Yongguk.  
“So will you join? My friend Daehyun and I are the only ones right now, but it’d be great if another friend joined.” Yongguk said softly. Himchan couldn’t help but let another batch of tears flow down and the boy in front of him started panicking again, hurrying to get more tissues. As he dried his tears, Yongguk looked expectantly at him. Himchan shook his head from side to side as an answer. It would never work. Yongguk hated Himchan, it was Chan he liked. He looked disappointed at his answer, but there wasn’t much Himchan could do about that. It would just lose him a new found friend. Despite the fact that he was his sad, wounded and fragile self, that was what Yongguk had called him. Friend.

 


	6. Chapter Six

“What do you mean by that? You don’t think I’ll be able to run the company after all the work I’ve been doing?” Youngjae asked baffled by what his dad was telling him through the phone.  
“What I’m saying is I want you to have someone to help you,” his dad told him.  
“That’s basically saying that you don’t think I can handle it by myself. Even though I’m in the top of all my classes and I have tutors to teach me how to run a business. You’ve pushed me to the best and even better than anyone can expect all my life, and now you say I can’t handle it? Goodbye Dad, I have class.” Youngjae finished off and pushed the red button before his dad could say anything. He would get scolded for this when he got home but right then he frankly didn’t care. Grumbling, he exited the bathroom where he had been talking with his dad and made his way to the library, sending anyone in his way to hell with a glare. He had lied to his dad, he didn’t have a class for another hour.  
As he entered the library he spotted Jongup sitting by a table and went over to join him. He slumped into the seat beside the boy and let his head hit onto the table. Youngjae let out a loud sigh and raised his head to look at the boy beside him. 'What’s wrong,' Jongup seemed to ask him with concerned eyes.  
“Just my dad who thinks I can’t run the company by myself,” Youngjae answered as he rubbed the red spot on his forehead. Slamming his head down into the desk might not have been the best of his ideas.   
“How’s your life? It must be simple. Simple and nice right?” Youngjae asked Jongup who just nodded and smiled in answer. He caught his eyes and seemed to say that that’s how he liked it, but Youngjae wasn’t too sure. Youngjae had never been great at deciphering the boy. That had become pretty clear to him when he talked to the boy the other day.  
  
At the next table, with a book in his hands, Daehyun sat, internally screaming mine mine mine mine!. His newest mission was to find out who Jongup was and then invite him to join Yongguk’s group and he had taken it on eagerly. There was something about the boy that made Daehyun hungry but not hungry, but hungry for cheesecake. He wanted the Jongup-boy to be his. Just like his cheesecake. It was his and no one else's. Something he had noticed about his target was that he never really spoke. He used his body. It was so fascinating how the boy was able to communicate what would be complex sentences without saying a word. There was no doubt it required a huge intelligence to do it. Plus it also made his job a ton easier. Reading body language was a skill he prized while reading lips sadly wasn't. He had tried, he really had, but he just couldn’t get the hang of it besides the uttermost simple words like ‘hi’ and ‘you’. The boy who sat with his target had a red spot on his forehead from slamming his head down into the table and Daehyun felt bad for the boy. He knew how much a red mark like that could hurt from experience.  
It seemed like the boy was complaining about something and Jongup just smiled through it all and comforted the boy. Daehyun felt a twist in his gut. The same twist he got when someone else ate cheesecake while he had to watch. He was jealous. The two of them sat there for a long time, while Daehyun just looked at them and internally wanted to be in the boy’s place for some reason. There was something about the silent boy that just drew him in. Jongup then told the boy it was time to go with his silent language and stood up. Daehyun glanced at his watch and saw that he’d been here for more than an hour. The two of them walked out of the library and Daehyun followed, putting his book back on the shelf on the way. When they reached their classroom and sat down, Daehyun took one last look at his target, savoring the smile for later, and went out to find Yongguk. Despite the fact that he wanted to stay and look at his target for just a little while longer (like a couple of hours), this was still something that needed to be reported to his “employer”. I’d be perfect as an assassin or something like that, Daehyun smugly thought to himself as he walked through the halls to find his friend.  
“I want cheesecake,” he told his friend when he found him sitting in the cafeteria. Yongguk laughed at him and shook his head.  
“You’re lucky then, ‘cause I got you some.” Yongguk replied and pulled out a plate with a slice of cheesecake. Christmas lights shone in Daehyun’s eyes as he eyed the cake. He might not get the target that he, for some reason, wanted so much, but at least he got his cheesecake.  
“You’re the best, Hyung,” Daehyun sighed in content as he put a bite into his mouth. It was good.

“So, you have anything to report, my creeper dongsaeng?” Yongguk asked with a small smile at the boy with the cheesecake. Daehyun pulled his notebook and threw it on the table between two bites and went back to cheesecake heaven. Yongguk read through what he had written about the Jongup boy while he ate. It was pretty detailed. Everything from what classes he had, to what he had for lunch.  
“Yah, Daehyun! The number of times he went to the bathroom was not needed!” Yongguk exclaimed in half disgust and half amusement. Daehyun just shrugged his shoulders in response and kept on eating. The boy seemed talented enough though. According to Daehyun, the boy was some kind of dance prodigy. If he can sing or rap then I’ll ask him to join as well. He’d be good to have with us, Yongguk thought to himself as he read the notes.  
“Do you have any more?” Daehyun asked as Yongguk finished reading. He shook his head as an answer. The cheesecakeless boy pouted.  
“Did you go to class at all today?” Yongguk asked his friend.  
“Of course. I just came late and left early,” Daehyun answered with a smile.  
“Well, I gotta go now. Got detention,” Yongguk grumbled sourly. He really didn’t want to go. He’d much rather be in the studio composing, but no. Detention with Kim Himchan first.  
“Have fun~” Daehyun sang teasingly and Yongguk growled at him sourly, but couldn’t help but smile at the boy.

Yongguk hated detention. He just got out from the torture. It would have been fine if he didn’t have to look at that arrogant, selfish, bitch, that was Kim Himchan. He was the reason Yongguk got detention. He even had to talk with his teacher while Himchan was free to go. And now, finally, he was on his way to the music department to work on a couple of compositions. A familiar melody caught Yongguk’s ears when he entered the music department. It was Chan playing. No doubt about it. It was the same song he played at the club a couple of weeks ago. The same magical feeling followed as well. Does he go to this school, Yongguk asked himself as he went down the hallway towards the beautiful melody that now changed into something sadder and tugged Yongguk’s heartstrings.

Himchan was playing the piano after school. He needed it and no one really hung out here after they were off. Tears were streaming down his face as his playing turned darker and darker. All his feelings seemed to flow out his fingers, into the piano and cast out into the room from the strings. It wasn’t fair. Why was he cursed with this fucked up life? Paying for his mom and dad’s fucked up habits and rent. Earning money to make sure their 'needs' were attended. And not one word of thanks. Just yelling, insulting and orders flying around his ears constantly. The worst was when they called him at school and yelled at him through the phone. He just never had any peace!  
The door handle rattled behind him and Himchan was pulled out of his tear streaked, gray world. He jumped up from his seat and dove into cover behind the stabled speakers. Who the fuck was it?  
“Chan?” Yongguk’s deep voice resounded through the room and Himchan almost cursed out loud. Why was he here, now? He moved slightly to find a more comfortable position but accidentally pushed one of the speakers slightly. A curse slipped past his lips.  
“Chan?” Yongguk asked, his voice closer than before. Himchan could hear his steps coming closer. This was not good. Not good at all. His chest tightened as he entered a state of panic. Yongguk couldn’t find out he was Chan, that would ruin his image completely. And he liked the Yongguk that “Chan” experienced rather than the one Himchan got to see.  
“Chan is that you?” Yongguk asked almost above Himchan and he just relaxed his body and closed his eyes in panic.  
“Himchan?” Yongguk’s voice asked in wonder and Himchan opened his eyes slowly at the mention of his name. “Are you crying?” Fuck, Himchan thought. He had forgotten about the tears that were still silently streaming down his face.

Yongguk didn’t know what to do or think. Here was Himchan, Kim Himchan, crying. And it was probably also him playing seeing as there was no one else in the room. Which didn’t make sense. He could recognize Chan’s playing anywhere after just hearing him play two times, and that was definitely Chan playing before. So the only explanation would be that Himchan and Chan are the same person, Yongguk concluded but couldn’t quite make himself believe it.

Himchan wiped his eyes and stood up in front of his 'part time friend'. Today really was one of the worst days of his life and he was seriously considering just dumping the facade that he couldn’t even get up right now. Giving up on everything, he threw himself into the arms of a very surprised Yongguk and held him tight while letting his tears fall freely. Himchan sobbed harder as he hugged Yongguk, who just stood awkwardly. He didn't even wrap his arms around him. The sobbing got harder and Himchan felt his knees give out slowly as he clung to his 'friend' as if it was life or death.  
His knees buckled out underneath him and he slid down Yongguk's body and fell to the floor. Grabbing hold of the standing boy's rough jeans he kept crying harder and harder. The tears simply had no end as a million thoughts went through his head. No one wanted him. Not even the boy who was somewhat of a friend to him. But then again, they weren’t friends. Himchan just wasn’t meant to be happy. He screamed out in pain. It hurt too much. Everything just hurt too much. He couldn’t handle it. The modeling, taking care of the people that were supposed to take care of him, getting yelled at, insulted, keeping up his image, everything. And now his image was totally ruined as he went into a panic attack on the floor clinging onto a pair of jeans that were wet with his tears. His chest was in pain and his body switched from hot to cold as he broke out a sweat. He screamed out in pain again and curled into a ball around the legs he clung onto for dear life. Yongguk moved his legs out of the crying boys embrace. At the loss of something to hold onto, Himchan curled into a ball and started pulling his hair in an attempt to get a hold of himself. His eyes kept spilling tears and another scream of pain escaped from his throat.

“Shh, it’s gonna be alright,” Yongguk hushed the crying boy as he pulled him into his arms. He had sat down and was now holding Himchan in a tight embrace while calmly rocking back and forth. “It’s gonna be alright,” he repeated and comfortingly stroked Himchan’s back. “Everything’s gonna be alright. Don’t worry,” he kept telling the sobbing boy in his arms, trying to calm him down. After a while, Himchan’s sobbing started to lessen and his grip on Yongguk got weaker. The latter kept holding him, rocking back and forth slowly, successfully calming him down. His crying finally came to a stop, though occasional sobs shook through his body as an aftermath. Himchan had no strength left in his body and just laid in Yongguk’s arms, completely exhausted. Never had he felt so weak. The two of them stayed like that for several minutes, not uttering a single word.  
“Can you bring me the green guitar on the wall?” Himchan croaked out in an emotionless voice after a while. Yongguk nodded in response and carefully laid the exhausted Himchan on the floor. Hurrying over to the guitar, he grabbed it and came back with it. With a questioning look in his eyes, he laid the guitar on top of Himchan in a playing position and then sat down beside him. After a couple of minutes with complete silence, Himchan finally moved and grabbed hold of the instrument. Eyes wide open, filled with something Yongguk couldn’t read, Himchan slowly began to play. It was the melody of the silence after a storm. It was walking through the ruins of one’s home after it had been destroyed completely by a tornado. Broken pieces everywhere. Himchan played and played until a shake started taking over his body. Yongguk carefully removed the guitar out of Himchan’s hands and pulled him into his lap again.  
“It’s gonna be alright. Everything’s gonna be alright,” he comforted the shaking boy in his embrace. Himchan fell asleep out of exhaustion. His body was spent. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of you.” Yongguk whispered to the sleeping boy. “I promise.”

 


	7. Chapter Seven

Yongguk sat in his chair, staring at the boy in his bed. Himchan, no Chan, no Himchan, fuck they were the same person. They had been sleeping for the last four hours. His parents had stared oddly at him when he had come home with a sleeping boy in his arms. Yongnam even more so. But he had understood that Yongguk needed to be left alone and had ushered their curious parents away from his room. After placing Himchan in his bed, taken off his shoes and pulled the covers over the boy, he had sat down in this chair and looked at Himchan – who was actually Chan – for hours.  
When he had heard the music, he had known it was Chan instantly. And when he had entered the room, he had been confused because no one was there. But then a small movement at the speakers and a string of curses in Chan’s voice had pulled him in that direction. And that was when he had found Himchan. Kim Himchan, on the floor, hiding, with tears streaming down his cheeks. Yongguk had been baffled. Unless Himchan suddenly could play and talk like Chan, then there was no other explanation than they were the same person. That was when the boy had stood up and looked at Yongguk. His movements so like Chan’s and so unlike Himchan’s. And then Himchan had flung himself at Yongguk, hugging him as if it were life or death. As much as Yongguk hated it, he hadn’t done anything. He had just stood there in surprise because Himchan was hugging him and crying and he was Chan and this was all too much. Himchan’s knees had buckled and suddenly he was clinging onto Yongguk’s legs desperately, still sobbing helplessly. The scream of sheer pain had tugged harshly at Yongguk’s heart, but he was at a loss at how to treat Chan who was Himchan and he was desperate for someone to tell him what to do. The second scream had pulled him out of his confused world and now he wanted to kill himself for not figuring out he just had to comfort the poor crying boy sooner than he had. Pulling his legs out of the boy’s embrace, he had sat down next to the uncontrollably sobbing and screaming boy who was pulling his hair and had broken out a sweat. Without any doubt in his mind, he had pulled him into his arms and held him tightly. Rocking him back and forth in a try to calm him, Yongguk had told him that it was going to be ok. That everything’s going to be ok.

After he didn’t know how long, Himchan had slowly stopped crying and simply just laid in Yongguk’s arms, a sob shuddering through the body once in a while. And when silence had filled the room for the better part of five minutes, Himchan had asked Yongguk to bring a green guitar from the wall. Not wanting to let go of the before crying boy, Yongguk had hesitantly released Himchan from his arms and placed him on the floor. He had been so weak. Like a lifeless doll. Scanning the room, Yongguk had found the green guitar and placed it on Himchan as he had asked, then sat himself beside him, ready to pull him into his embrace once again. After several minutes of silence, Himchan had started playing and the music had hurt his heart. The lonely melody had him feeling as if he had lost everything and nothing was left, yet he couldn’t cry. It was like coming back to a home in ruins. Everything you knew gone, broken pieces scattered over the ground. That was when Himchan had started shaking. Yongguk had pulled the guitar out of the boy’s arms and after he placed the guitar next to him, he had pulled Himchan back into his arms and started telling him everything’s going to be alright. That he would take care of him. He had promised. And after contemplating what he should do with the exhausted boy for an hour or so, he had carried him home. And now, four hours later, he was still asleep on Yongguk’s bed and the latter hadn’t moved from his spot on the chair.

Himchan is Chan, Yongguk thought for the millionth time. And every time he thought it, it seemed more realistic. Now that he thought about it, Chan’s playing had reminded him of Himchan playing. Their chins looked the same, even though Himchan always went around with make-up on his face, while Chan had none. When he had met Chan first, it had kind of looked like the boy had recognized him. And now that he had looked at Himchan’s hands, they were the same as Chan’s. Heck, their name was almost the same too. Himchan and Chan. And the fact that they were the same person would explain why Chan would bury himself deeper in his hood everytime Yongguk had tried to see his face. The wounds on Chan’s face were exactly the same as on Himchan’s because he was the one who had inflicted them. Yongguk facepalmed. What had he done? He had basically sat and insulted Himchan in front of Himchan himself. What the fuck was wrong with him? I should just go shoot myself, he thought to himself as he drowned in self-pity. How stupid could he be?! Himchan moved, pulling Yongguk out of his world of self-pity with a shock.  
  


Daehyun held his phone against his ear. He had been in their café waiting for Yongguk for an hour and was getting quite impatient. Yongguk had never bailed on him before without telling him.  
“Yo! This is Yongnam!” the said person answered the phone.  
“Hey, Hyung! Do you know where Yongguk-Hyung is? He was supposed to meet me at the café an hour ago.” he asked his Hyung's twin brother.  
“Yeah, sorry Daehyun. He’s kind of busy right now with something important. He must’ve forgotten to tell you that he couldn’t make it. But dude, I gotta go now. My mom and I are gonna watch the Notebook. Bye!” Yongnam answered and beeping sounds emitted from his phone.  
“The Notebook?” Daehyun asked out loud.  
“That’s a chick-flick, my dear. My daughter loves that movie,” his boss answered as she walked by his table. Daehyun raised an eyebrow.Yongnam has always been weird, he thought to himself with a shrug. But what could possibly have been important enough to make Yongguk forget we were meeting up? Daehyun wondered and stood up. Oh well. He might as well get another slice of cheesecake.

He closed his eyes briefly to imagine the taste, but accidentally stumbled into someone.  
“Oh, sorry!” he apologized to the boy on the floor. The boy looked annoyedly up at him. It was the boy who hung out with Jongup! He got back up as Daehyun stared at him.  
“You’re the guy who hangs out with Jongup,” Daehyun accidentally slipped out when the boy opened his mouth to say something.  
“Yeah, how do you know him?” the boy answered. Daehyun knew Yongguk had mentioned his name before, but he wasn’t in his 'mode' then, so he couldn’t remember.  
“Around,” Daehyun answered trying to avoid the truth of him basically stalking the boy.  
“You’re the one who hangs around with Yongguk,” the boy then said awkwardly. He nodded in reply.  
“Yeah, but he dumped me today… Do you want to eat some cake with me?” he asked awkwardly. He felt like he should do something in return for the boy he just pushed to the ground.  
“Uh, yeah sure. My name’s Youngjae by the way,” the boy, Youngjae, accepted the offer and introduced himself.  
“Daehyun,” he replied and the two went up to the counter.   
“You know, I get a discount because I work here,” he said smugly to Youngjae. The latter smiled.  
“That’s great. Discount on cakes is a good thing,” Youngjae replied kind of awkwardly.  
“If you feel that way, then we’ll be great friends,” Daehyun told him happily. “Any fan of cake is a friend of mine,” he finished with a huge smile and Youngjae smiled back, not knowing if he should be happy or scared of the boy he just met.  
  


Himchan rolled over groggily. He felt exhausted, tired and dehydrated. And this bed was extremely comfortable and the blanket so soft and warm he didn’t really want to wake up. He realized it wasn’t his bed. His bed was a hard old mattress and his blanket too small and rough. Slowly, he tried to open his eyes to figure out where he was, but his eyelids were almost glued stuck with sleep. Sitting up, he rubbed the crust out of his eyes so he could see where he was. Looking through the room, he found Yongguk, Bang Yongguk, sitting in a chair staring at him.  
“Are you feeling better?” Yongguk asked him softly and everything that had happened, came rushing back to Himchan. He had been playing, then Yongguk came and then he had broken down completely. Fuck. This really was the worst day in his life and on top of that, he had a pounding headache.  
“You’re probably thirsty. Stay here and I’ll get you something to drink,” Yongguk said, stood up and then left the room. Himchan panicked. What was he going to do? Did Yongguk know he was Chan? He probably did, he wasn’t stupid despite what it sometimes would seem like. And where was he? In Yongguk’s room obviously, but where was that? But if Yongguk knew Himchan was Chan, would he be mad at him? What would he do? Himchan didn’t want to lose the part-time friend he had in Yongguk. What should he do? How should he act in front of Yongguk now that he had seen him at his weakest?

Walking through the living room, Yongguk saw his brother and mom bawling their eyes out to the Notebook. Typical, he thought to himself. They were quite a pair those two, and even after the countless times they had watched that movie, the two of them still cried.  
“Is he awake?” his dad asked when Yongguk entered the kitchen. He nodded in response and took out a glass and a bottle of water.  
“There are some leftovers in the fridge. I’m sure you two are hungry,” his dad said and took the said food out of the fridge. While Yongguk found a tray and a couple of plates and eating utensils, his dad put the leftovers in the microwave.  
“He’s welcome to stay the night,” his dad told him when the food was warm and he was ready to go back with everything.  
“Thanks, dad,” Yongguk thanked him with a smile and went back to his room with the waiting Himchan.

Himchan sat where Yongguk had left him when he entered.  
“I brought some food as well. Thought you might be hungry,” Yongguk said to the boy. He nodded hesitantly in answer, clearly not knowing what to do.Well then we’re two, Yongguk thought to himself. He handed Himchan a glass of water and with a dry ‘thanks’ Himchan gulped it all down. Yongguk couldn’t help but smile at the sight. Pouring another glass of water for the poor dehydrated boy, he couldn’t help but think that Himchan acted a lot like Chan at the moment. Which isn’t a surprise, seeing as they’re the same person, he told himself and handed the glass to the boy who gulped down everything again.  
“So do you like bibimbap?” Yongguk asked and held out a plate of said food.  
“I’m Korean aren’t I?” Himchan croaked sarcastically with a small smile. Yongguk let out a small laugh. “But yes I do like it,” Himchan answered, glad that he had eased the awkward atmosphere just a little bit.  
“Good, ‘cause that’s what I got.” Yongguk replied with a grin and a small wink and instantly mentally facepalmed because he just fucking winked. Himchan let out a laugh that reached his eyes. With a small smile, Yongguk handed him the plate and eating utensils and then went to drag his chair over to the bed. The two of them ate in silence, with nervous glances at the other every once in a while.

When they finished, the two of them sat in silence for a while. Himchan opened his mouth to break the silence but the sound of a ringtone interrupted him. Closing his mouth, he struggled to fish out his phone from his pocket. One look at the phone’s display and a weird look of fear, annoyance, and sadness flashed across his face.  
“I’ll take our plates to the kitchen.” Yongguk said, understanding that Himchan didn’t want him to be there when he answered the phone. Himchan looked at him with a thankful look and Yongguk stood up, taking their plates.  
“Hi, Mom,” Himchan answered meekly when Yongguk exited the room. Loud yelling erupted from the phone and Himchan held the phone away from his ear as the insults and degrading words rained over him.  
“Where the fuck is my money?” his mom finished and Himchan whimpered.  
“I-I... I’m sorry, I’ll get them to you by tomorrow.” Himchan stammered.  
“I need them now you worthless piece of shit!” his mom spat and Himchan cringed. No matter how often his parents spoke to him like this, he still couldn’t get used to it. It hurt. A final insult was yelled at him and beeping sounds replaced his mother’s voice. Letting his phone fall from his ear and buried his face in his hands. He had forgotten to give his mother money this morning and his father last night. Why was he so unlucky?

“You okay?” Yongguk asked when he returned to find a Himchan with his head buried in his hands. For a while, he contemplated whether to answer truthfully or not but ended with a shake of his head because he was not ok.  
“Do you wanna stay the night?” Yongguk asked him softly. The sincere softness in his voice made Himchan look up from his hands.  
“Can I?” Himchan asked in return, a desperate tone laced into his words.  
“Of course.” Yongguk replied with a nod and a smile. Himchan felt like crying, but he didn’t have any tears left. A silent sob shook through his body. Yongguk looked worried at the boy in his bed but didn’t know what to do. Silence filled the room for several minutes until Yongguk’s door opened and his mom stuck her head in. Her eyes were slightly puffy from the crying earlier.  
“Hey, sweetie, we’re heading off to bed now, I put out an extra pillow and blanket on the couch. Sweet dreams,” she sang and went off again.  
“I’ll go get them.” Yongguk said awkwardly feeling slightly embarrassed by his mom for some reason. Himchan nodded and soon after Yongguk was on his way to the living room to get the things, mentally facepalming the entire way.  
“So I hope you don’t mind sleeping in the same bed. Otherwise, I’m just going to sleep on the floor.” Yongguk said to Himchan when he came back.  
“Oh no, uh, I don’t mind,” Himchan answered awkwardly. He then watched the boy remove the chair by the bed and then sat down to mess with the bed. Feeling a bump in the bed he watched Yongguk pull out an extra mattress that slid into place next to where Himchan sat.  
“Can I-uh... borrow some clothes?” Himchan asked Yongguk.  
“Yeah, of course, let me find you some.” Yongguk answered and went to his drawer to find a pair of shorts and a t-shirt.  
“I’m just gonna go outside while you change,” he said and went outside, closing the door behind him. When the door opened behind him he went in and saw Himchan in his clothes. He looked a hell lot like Chan in those clothes. Which still is him, Yongguk thought to himself.

Himchan crawled into bed and looked at the wall while Yongguk changed. Soon after, the lights were turned off and he felt the bed shake as Yongguk joined him.  
“So what do I call you? Himchan or Chan?” Yongguk asked after a couple of minutes of silence.  
“I like Chan,” Himchan answered after a moment of thinking.  
“Me too,” Yongguk told him. He smiled at that. He still liked Chan even though he found out he was Himchan.  
“I’m sorry I hit you.” Yongguk apologized after a minute of silence where they stared up at the ceiling.  
“I’m sorry I hit you too.” Himchan apologized back. Another silence fell over them.  
“Do you really hate me that much?” Himchan asked Yongguk with a slight shake in his words.  
“I don’t hate you. I just don’t like the Kim Himchan at school. To me, he’s obnoxious, loud, annoying, selfish and, if I had a book of synonyms, I’d find more words. Chan though, the Kim Himchan behind the Kim Himchan at school, is someone I’m very fond of, even though I’ve only talked to him a couple of times. He seems like a good person who cares for people he likes, is pretty much down to earth, and plays this beautiful music which is like something I’ve never heard before,” Yongguk explained and Himchan felt a tug in his heart as he turned his head to look at the boy beside him.  
“Thank you,” he whispered and the boy beside him turned his head to look back at him.  
“What about me?” Yongguk asked curiously.  
“I really dislike Bang Yongguk for pretending he is so tough and 'gangster' when he’s really not. He goes around looking like his life is extremely tough when he’s actually really lucky. I can understand why someone would act if their life is great for others not to pity them when it’s really shit. But why would anyone act like their life is tough and shit when they’re actually really lucky and has a nice soft personality under it. The Yongguk I met at the club though, is really nice, comfortable and soft. He’s entirely himself. He knows what he wants and takes care of a random guy who happened to play piano one night. I’m jealous of him actually,” Himchan explained how his part was admitting the jealousy he felt for him. Yongguk couldn’t help but smile a wide smile.  
“I’m glad you think of me like that,” he thanked Himchan shyly, the latter smiling in return. They stared at each other for a couple of moments. “Goodnight Chan. Sweet dreams,” Yongguk whispered.  
“Goodnight. You too Bbang,” Himchan replied with a small smile at the sudden nickname.  
“Bbang?” Yongguk laughed.  
“Bbang,” Himchan replied with a smile.  
“Well ok then. I like it,” he said and with a last smile closed his tired eyes and fell asleep. It had been a long day.

 

 


	8. Chapter Eight

“Where the hell were you last night? I called you at home, but all I got was Yongnam saying you were busy.” Daehyun scolded his Hyung who was smiling sheepishly at him.  
“I was busy. I had some business to take care off.” Yongguk excused himself for the forgotten coffee-cheesecake-date as Himchan walked by. He looked at Yongguk in a new way. Not the usual 'I am way better than you are' look. It was more like an 'I respect you, thank you'-like look. And to his surprise Yongguk returned it as Himchan left the spot, just as quickly as he had arrived.  
“What the hell was that about? Since when did you like, or even tolerate, Kim Himchan?” Daehyun asked and looked at Yongguk, suddenly concerned for his Hyung’s health. There was no response. There was nothing in Daehyun’s mind that could explain why Yongguk suddenly became friendly towards Himchan, or the other way around, for that matter. He slapped a hand across Yongguk’s forehead to see if he had a fever. He received a stunned expression and a normally-temperatured forehead from his Hyung.  
“What are you doing?” Yongguk asked confused at the sudden hand on his forehead.  
“I’m checking if you have a fever, but you seem perfectly fine,” Daehyun grumbled, still trying to figure out if there might be something else wrong with his friend.  
“Daehyun,” Yongguk said trying to get his friend’s attention, but the guy just kept mumbling to himself about illnesses. “Daehyun. Daehyun!” he called but got no reaction.  
“Fine, I’ll just go talk to Jongup myself,” Yongguk grumbled. At the mention of Jongup’s name, Daehyun’s head shot up.  
“So now you listen?” Yongguk chuckled, amusedly. Daehyun grinned sheepishly and scratched the back of his head.  
“So Jongup?” Daehyun asked to get back to the subject that he liked very much.  
“Yeah, Jongup. I’ve been planning to go ask him to join today and talk to him about Junhong. And I was kind of counting on you to come with me.” Yongguk informed the boy who was now nodding enthusiastically.  
“Great, then let’s go.” Yongguk finished and stood up, Daehyun following suit.  
The two were walking towards the studio when Jongup passed them in the opposite direction. While Daehyun stopped up, Yongguk kept walking, not noticing that the person they wanted to talk to had just passed them.  
“Yah, Yongguk!” Daehyun yelled at his friend when he kept walking.  
“What?” Yongguk asked confused as to why his friend stopped him.  
“Dude, he just passed us, are you blind?” Daehyun asked mocking his Hyung. Yongguk’s cheeks reddened slightly and he mumbled a small ‘whoops’ as he walked back to his friend, who was now laughing loudly at him.

“Yah, Jongup?” Yongguk’s deep voice boomed through the corridor, and Jongup turned around to see the source of the noise and call of his name. Daehyun noticed the silent dancer turn around and he subconsciously held his breath when his facial features became visible. Yongguk noticed how his cheesecake-loving friend tensed up in the presence of the dancer and send him a knowing smirk. Now he had blackmailing options.  
“Yeah?” Jongup answered when he saw the two people in the hallway was looking at him.  
“Can we talk to you for a moment?” Yongguk asked.  
“Sure. But first, I need to know how you know my name,” Jongup answered, knowing who they were, but had no clue how they knew him.  
“Daehyun’s sister went to the same high school as you did.” Yongguk shot out as a quick lie.  
“And Daehyun has seen you dance,” Jongup just nodded and accepted the reason. Jongup walked up to the boys and motioned for them to continue. Yongguk didn’t understand his weird position and didn’t do anything until he felt an elbow in his side from the ever so shy Daehyun.  
“What?” He glared at Daehyun before realizing he had to talk to Jongup. Ashamed he let out a small ‘ohhh’ and turned back to Jongup.  
“Uhm. So. Yeah. The thing is... I am putting together this group, and I was wondering if you could rap or sing?”  
“I don’t know?” Jongup answered shyly and looked towards the floor and Daehyun had a momentary spazz-moment from his cuteness.  
“I was hoping that you could because your dancing is amazing. And I’d like a talented person like you with me on the stage,” Yongguk told the boy who was now smiling widely at them. Daehyun squealed within himself at the other’s actions.  
“But I guess you can hear me try?” Jongup offered. Yongguk opened his mouth to speak but was rudely interrupted by Daehyun who did subconscious aegyo while he nodded eagerly. I am so going to use this for blackmail, later on, Yongguk thought evilly to himself.  
“Yes, that is a good idea. Come to my house after school and we can hear you sing. I’ll give you my address,” Yongguk said and wrote down his address on a piece of paper and gave it to Jongup who smiled and bowed and left in the direction he was heading before.  
“OH, MY GAWD! He is coming to your house?!” Daehyun almost screamed in excitement when Jongup was out of sight.  
“The fuck, man? Chill!” Yongguk rolled his eyes at Daehyun.I think we found a match to his obsession with cheesecake. Jongup. Yongguk thought to himself a smile tugging on his lips. Blackmail! Oh, sweet blackmail!

Yongguk and Daehyun walked through the hallways not saying anything. One was in absolute bliss over the boy, the other happy that he could add another talented person to his group.  
“That went well,” Yongguk commented with a smile. Daehyun only nodded, still smiling and the two continued in silence. A muffled voice reached the two’s ears and as if on cue, they both stopped. It was a beautiful voice. Simply soothing, even in the muffled version that they could hear.  
“Can you hear that?” Yongguk asked his friend, who nodded. They shared a look and turned down a hallway, following the voice. Seconds later they reached a closed door, from which behind came the singing. The two of them put their ears to the door and listened closer to the voice. It was a male singing, and wow he could sing.  
“Let’s see who it is,” Daehyun whispered excitedly and Yongguk nodded. The latter put his hand on the door handle and pulled it open. He had obviously miscalculated the force with which he did it and pulled the door over his foot.  
“OW! For fuck's sake! That fucking hurts!” Yongguk screamed in pain and clamped his hands around his foot muttering curses.  
“Idiot! Now he heard us!” Daehyun exclaimed and whacked Yongguks head.  
“Ow! Respect your Hyung, dammit!” Yongguk yelled now clutching the back of his head too.  
“That hurt,” he whimpered quietly with a pout. Daehyun rolled his eyes at his apparently older friend and just ushered him out of the way so he could open the door. When they looked into the room, it was empty, the door at the other side standing wide open.  
“See! You scared him away!” Daehyun accused Yongguk who was still whimpering curses under his breath.  
“Oh shut up! You freaking smacked me! Besides, we can just chase after him. Whoever’s hurrying away from here is probably him.” Yongguk snapped back and proceeded to do what he just said. With a roll of his eyes, Daehyun followed. They didn’t find him. No one hurried through the hallway as they looked around. Yongguk stumbled into someone and they both ended up on the floor. It was Himchan. Daehyun prepared himself for the oncoming slaughter and fight. But nothing came. Nothing he was prepared for, at least. Instead, he experienced something he wanted to write home about.  
“Sorry.” Yongguk apologized and Himchan simply nodded and shrugged it off as he stood up.  
“See you in detention.” Himchan simply replied and helped Yongguk stand up before walking away. Daehyun was baffled.  
“Himchan... Himchan... just... nothing... nothing happened...” he stammered out eyes and mouth wide open. Yongguk shrugged his shoulders and went on as if nothing happened.  
“Am I dreaming?” Daehyun asked the wall next to him hoping for a positive answer. Nothing came.

Youngjae breathed out in relief as he entered the library. That had been close. Pretending nothing was wrong he went towards his favorite shelf and pulled out a book that he had read at least a million times, before continuing to find a seat where he could sit down and read. Finding a seat he sat down and opened the book on a random page and pretended to read. It had been way too close. If whoever it was hadn’t been stupid enough to slam the door into his foot, Youngjae would never have escaped before they found him. Thank god the last idiot isn’t born yet, Youngjae thought to himself.  
A sound of fluttering pages followed by a scream pulled Youngjae out of his thoughts and he looked up. He saw two older boys throwing books at an abnormally tall boy. Youngjae got pissed at the scene. One does not simply throw books. And definitely not at another person. Pissed he stood up and walked towards the crime scene.  
“Yah! What do you think you’re doing?” He yelled when he reached them. The boys stopped throwing books at the boy and looked at him. After a few seconds, one of them chuckled and threw yet another book at the boy.  
“Do you have any idea who I am?” Youngjae growled, and the boys laughed and shook their heads.  
“Do you know who I am?” a boy asked.  
“A fucking prick who will get his ass kicked by my bodyguard. I am Yoo Youngjae,” he threatened the boys with a dangerous glint in his eyes. Doubt filled the boys’ eyes at the threat.  
“The Yoo Youngjae?” one asked doubtfully.  
“Oh yeah,” Youngjae replied and fished out his phone to call his stupid bodyguard that was always waiting for him right outside of school. He really didn’t like his bodyguard, but in situations like this, he was pretty handy. The boys turned around and sprinted out the library before Youngjae even had time to unlock his phone. The tall boy turned to him and bowed deeply with a ‘thank you’ and hurried off just as fast as the other two boys, just in the opposite direction. Youngjae stood left behind in the library. He didn’t even get the boy’s name.

Junhong walked as fast as his long legs could carry him and headed for the studio where he met up with Jongup at this time. He entered the studio and Jongup was already warming up. When he noticed Junhong he greeted him welcome with his fluent mesmerizing movements and Junhong quickly dropped his bag and joined him in the middle of the room. The two of them finished warming up together and without a word, they started to dance. Silent music flowed through them as they danced together. No one else could hear it, it was only theirs. Junhong lost track of time when they danced.

In their wordless, silent language, Jongup started to speak. He told Junhong about how the two elders had known him and asked him to join a band. And now that he thought about he had to meet up with Yongguk at the given address. He explained how the eldest had wanted dancers and rappers to be a part of the band to increase the performance. He told how they only had seen him dance but wanted to know if he could sing as well. All while Jongup talked excitedly Junhong listened attentively. Jongup told he had agreed with himself, that if he could either sing or rap he would join the band and passed the youngest an invitation to join as well. Junhong shrugged his shoulders. He didn’t really know. It could be fun and all, but he really only trusted Jongup. The person in question could see Junhong’s uncertainty and fear of the subject and told him there was no pressure, everything would be fine no matter what and that he could take all the time in the world if needed it. Something that almost reminded of a smile lit Junhong’s face.


	9. Chapter Nine

Junhong was scared. No doubt about it. Jongup could easily see the fear and nervousness in his eyes and body language as they neared their goal. _Relax_ , Jongup silently tried to calm the boy. It didn't really work.  
"I'll be there for you," Jongup said with both voice and body as they reached Yongguk's house. Junhong looked nervously at Jongup as they stopped up in front of the door.  
"I'll be there for you," Jongup repeated and Junhong nodded slightly and a determined look joined the fear in his eyes. Jongup nodded at the tall boy and pressed the doorbell. A crash sounded from behind the door and the two of them wondered what was happening in there. A second later the door opened and the boy, Yongguk, from earlier stood in the door. Behind him, the Daehyun guy was scrambling up from the floor.  
"Hi, you must be who Yongguk was talking about," the boy in the door said and Jongup got confused.  
"Yongnam! Is that Jongup!?" a voice yelled through the house.  
"Yeah!" the boy in the door, who was apparently not Yongguk but Yongnam, yelled back while Daehyun stood tripping behind him. Seconds later the actual Yongguk appeared and Jongup recognized him. The two, Yongnam and Yongguk, looked exactly alike, but their stance and body language different.  
"Oh, Junhong, you came," Yongguk said surprised when he reached the door. Yongnam elbowed him.  
"Is that how you treat guests? Seriously, bro, you gotta be more polite. Show the gentle side we all love and cherish," Yongnam told Yongguk with a teasing tone.  
"Shut up and get out of the way, Nam," Yongguk retorted before turning to Jongup and Junhong in the door.  
"Please come in," he told them and stepped out of the doorway, pulling his brother with him. Daehyun moved back as well, nervously shuffling his feet. Jongup looked his way and took in his stance. He was nervous, shy and a hint of some kind of eagerness or excitement.  
"This way," Yongguk told them as he closed the door behind them and led Jongup and Junhong through the house. Jongup took a glance at his quiet and scared friend and found that he was in a worse condition than he was outside. They reached the living room and all five of them stood in silence.  
“Well, dude. See ya later. I got a date with my guitar,” Yongnam said to his brother and didn’t miss the chance to punch his arm before leaving the room.

Jongup looked at Junhong. He was really scared but put up a good stance to fight it. Catching his eye, Jongup gave him his most calming smile and told him it was going to be fine. Of course, without uttering as much as a word. Daehyun saw the little exchange of looks and fully admired Jongup’s ability to calm the giant without words at all. He was hungry again.  
“So uh, do you want music, or do you just want to sing without it?” Yongguk asked Jongup.  
“I prefer with music,” Jongup answered slightly embarrassed by the situation.  
“Which song would you like to sing?” Daehyun asked while looking at his feet.  
“I think  _OMG_ by Usher would be good,” Jongup said and straightened up to gain some confidence. Yongguk pulled out an iPad from nowhere and started typing things in. Seconds later, he walked over to the big speakers and pulled out a cord that he plugged into the iPad. With a nod in Jongup’s direction as a cue, Yongguk pressed a button and the instrumental of Usher’s OMG started playing. Jongup started singing, letting the music flow through him. He had heard this song countless times as he had danced to it endlessly both in and out of dance class. Without noticing he slowly started to dance in the space of the living room.

Yongguk watched as Jongup danced while he sang. He was every bit as great as Daehyun said he was and even better. And his voice was good as well. Jongup had an amazing sense of the music, and it could be seen in every move and even heard in his voice. Junhong started moving as well. Slowly at first, almost unnoticeable, but as they reached the chorus, the two danced together while Yongguk and Daehyun stood mesmerized by them. When Will.I.Am’s part in the song came, Junhong took over from Jongup and started rapping. And not once did they lose a beat. It was as if this whole thing was practiced. Daehyun was mesmerized by Jongup’s movements and soft voice, but Yongguk was mentally celebrating. Junhong was an amazing rapper. Another person he just had to make join the band. And if his rapping skills weren’t enough, he sure could dance as well. Not as good as Jongup, but still good. When the song stopped three minutes later Daehyun and Yongguk started clapping at the two new members of the band. If they wanted to be a part of it or not, they were in.

Junhong seemed to realize he had been performing in front of strangers he didn’t trust and returned to his nervous composure. Fear was evident in his eyes once more too. His shoulders were scrunched and he was slowly shuffling away as if he was afraid he might get hit. Jongup noticed it and with a small smile placed himself in front of the scared boy. Catching Junhong’s eye, he held up a hand and told the scared boy that he was going to touch his shoulder. Getting permission from Junhong’s eyes, he placed his hand on his friend’s shoulder. He patted him gently, telling him he did a fantastic job. He continued to let the boy know he didn't need to be afraid. He was right there for him. Junhong calmed down slightly from the smaller boy’s touch and silent words. Daehyun admired the skill that Jongup possessed to calm down the scared boy. He was really hungry and a gnawing feeling settled in his stomach. It was one that made him uncomfortable. He was upset that Jongup wasn't looking at _him_  with that same smile on his lips.  
“That was really good. Your voice is good and your dancing is amazing. And Junhong, your rapping and dancing are just as amazing. You guys are really talented.” Yongguk praised the two who had just performed for them. Jongup smiled a bright thousand-watt smile and Junhong cringed at the sound of his name. Still, Junhong felt somewhat glad that someone liked what got him through the days and weeks.  
“So will you join us?” Yongguk asked half nervous half excited. He really wanted them with him on stage. Jongup glanced at Junhong before looking at Yongguk. Nodding, he agreed to join. The oldest among the four did a tiny victory dance in his head and then looked at Junhong who shuffled his feet, uncomfortable with all the eyes on him. Nervously, he looked at Jongup who silently encouraged him to speak.  
“I-I... I don’t know,” he stuttered quietly. “I’m not very good with crowds,” he continued. Yongguk’s look softened.  
“That’s okay. Daehyun here is very shy in crowds too, but we’ll work on that when it becomes necessary,” Yongguk said softly, trying to comfort and convince the tall boy to join at the same time. Junhong looked at Jongup again, who smiled comfortingly at him.  
“I don’t know. I don’t know if I can.” Junhong said again quietly, at his edge at what to do. Yongguk saw it and nodded.  
“Okay, you can tell us what you decide on whenever you want. My door is always open,” he told the nervous boy who nodded and then looked at Jongup almost pleadingly. Jongup smiled at Daehyun and Yongguk as a thank you for letting him join and the two smiled back, one brighter than the other. He told them goodbye, telling them about their plans with dancing and told them they would see each other in school. With another bright smile, Jongup and Junhong left the house. Daehyun slumped into a chair with a wide smile on his face and Yongguk made a small victory dance, almost hitting the lamp above him.  
  


" _Cause I have to know your name  
And if you don't well I ain't mad   
If you want you can give me yours too   
And I hope that you would call me someday   
And leave you with my number _ _at'cha_  
We can still be cool~"

Youngjae was singing in his room to the music in his ears. It was one of his favorite songs by his favorite artist Musiq, and his parents weren’t home yet. He had to use the opportunity to do what he loved most; singing.  
"Youngjae!” his dad's voice cut through the music and Youngjae scrambled to turn off the music and throw his iPod under his pillow. Straightening his clothes, he walked out of his room and made his way downstairs to the living room. What met him wasn’t a sight he had hoped for. His mom and dad stood along with the people they had eaten dinner with.  
“Youngjae dear, Mr. and Mrs. Song have come to visit us along with their daughter,” his mom told him unnecessarily, and Youngjae wanted to tell her he wasn’t blind. That would be impolite and would only gain him a major buttload of trouble. So, Youngjae nodded at his mother and bowed deeply to the three visitors, giving them a polite ‘welcome’ along with a smile.  
“Youngjae, we’re going to talk with Mr. and Mrs. Song in the lounge, so you and Victoria can chat for a while,” his dad told him looking at him expectantly as if he was supposed to do something while they were gone. Youngjae stood clueless and scared of his dad’s look because it was scary and not normal. The four adults left him and Victoria. Youngjae turned to the girl whom he had happily forgotten about until she turned up in his living room. The memories of their first meeting was not a favored memory because of a certain bladder of his.

Victoria linked their arms together and pulled him towards the stairs where he came from.  
“Show me your room, oppa,” she requested from him as he stumbled after her.  
“Uhm, sure,” he replied and took the lead up the stairs and down a couple of hallways. When they reached the door to his room, he took his arm from Victoria’s grasp and opened the door for her. She walked in confidently as if it was her own place and he followed hesitantly. He hadn’t really noted how she acted last time because of... well, his bladder.  
“Well, this is it,” he said awkwardly as Victoria looked around, apparently interested in how his room looked.  
“This looks really nice oppa. But where’s your bed? Do you sleep on the couch?” she asked with a polite smile.  
“Oh, it’s in my other room,” Youngjae answered and pointed at one of the three doors in the room.  
“Can I see it?” Victoria asked with a smile. Youngjae felt really uncomfortable now but didn’t let it show.  
“No, I’d rather not you saw it. It’s quite messy,” he answered, lying to avoid her entrance to his actual bedroom. His room was never messy. Not even a little bit. The one time he had left it messy, he had gotten in huge trouble with his parents and they had threatened with sending him off to some disciplinary boarding school. Victoria sat down on one of his couches, crossing her legs and smoothed out her short, black dress. Youngjae sat down in the opposing chair, not wanting to get too close to the girl who was sending off a weird vibe. He felt as if she was trying to pull him closer in a very subtle way, that he almost didn’t notice. Luckily, he had dealt with manipulating business men and women all his life. It had sharpened his senses when it came to this. But Victoria was good, and he could honestly not figure out what she wanted.  
  


Junhong, the mutant, was walking home from school as slowly as possible. He dreaded arriving at the loud home where his dad yelled and complained and abused his mom and him. Not to mention, the loud moans of pain and pleasure that always followed when he was hiding away in his room under his blanket. Sighing, he trudged on and thought about the offer that he got recently from the deep-voiced boy and the masked boy along with Jongup. He wasn’t sure. He really wanted to join but was afraid. No, more like terrified. Everyone he had ever gotten close with had always turned out to be faking it because of a dare or because of some sick joke. He and people just didn’t get along. He wanted to, oh how he desperately wanted to, but no one seemed to want him in return. Jongup was a different case though. They didn’t talk. They just danced, and the smaller boy seemed to understand his distrust and fear and kept his distance. But they communicated through dance, and though he wouldn’t call Jongup a friend, it was the closest he had to the term yet.

Pondering on whether or not to take the chance and do what he enjoyed, he didn’t notice the three guys that were heading towards him with wicked smiles on their faces. Not until they were right in front of him did he see them. Scared, he tried to walk around, but they pushed him back harshly so he almost fell onto the ground. Junhong turned the other way, ready to run, but they had him surrounded now.  
“Well, what do we have here?” one of them asked with a devilish smile on his lips.  
“A freakishly tall kid,” another answered tauntingly and gave Junhong a small push that made him stumble slightly.  
“But the real question is,” the third started and pushed Junhong down on the ground. “Does the freak have money for us?” he finished darkly and the first kicked Junhong in his thigh, making him whimper in pain.  
“Wait, someone’s coming,” the second warned and all three of them turned to look at an approaching figure, while Junhong internally raised a small hope of being saved.  
“Nah, it’s a pretty boy, they don’t dirty their fingers,” the first said brushing it off and turned back to Junhong who was trying to get up on his feet and run away. Another kick landed on him, this time on his side and the hope of escaping vanished.

The said pretty boy, Himchan, was on his way to work after having been home delivering some money for his parents. As he walked down the street, he spotted three figures around another on the ground. Coming closer, he saw that three guys were kicking the kid in the middle. A frown graced his lips as he reached the three men and the kid. He really didn’t have time for this right now, it would be better to just ignore the scene. Placing one foot in front of the other, he walked past the scene.


	10. Chapter Ten

Instead of leaving the scene, he raised his left leg and kicked backward, hitting one of the guys in the back. Work could wait. This kid needed his help.  
“Shouldn’t you pick on someone your own size?” Himchan said coldly as he turned to look at the three guys.  
“Why don’t you mind your own business?” one of them retorted.  
“Ah but you see dear, this is my business. Teaching people who don’t know their place is what I live for.” Himchan replied as sassily as he could while he moved threatening and cocky steps toward the three. The one Himchan had kicked moved backward a little.  
“You think you can take us on, pretty boy?” one growled daringly. Himchan chuckled.  
“Au contraire little one, I know I can take you on,” Himchan told them lightly while he checked his nails and as he reached the boy on the ground, he motioned for him to stand up and get behind him. The boy obeyed, scrambling to do as told. “So I’d advise you to get the fuck out of here before I beat your asses and hand them back to you,” he growled at them and cracked his neck.  
The guy he kicked stepped backward. He knew how strongly the boy could kick backward, so he didn’t want to know how strong the kick would be the other way. Himchan grinned slightly. His legs were one of his strong points. Even in these godforsaken tight skinny jeans.  
“Come at me, pretty boy,” one said and Himchan gladly obeyed. Stepping forward fast, he swung his fist and placed it perfectly in the guys face, making his head snap backward on impact. Himchan looked at his fist and saw some blood on it. He looked back at the guy holding his nose. “Uuh, I think that’s a broken nose. I would recommend you get someone to look at that,” Himchan advised him with a cocky smirk. “Now, do the two of you want one as well so you all match?” Himchan asked the two others as he turned to them. They shook their heads. “Good. Now run along,” he told them with a threatening smile. Thankfully they turned and went away while Himchan let out an internal sigh.The wonders of a cocky attitude and a broken nose, he thought to himself, smiling.  
"Are you okay?” he asked the tall kid as he turned to him concerned. The kid nodded slightly. “You sure? Seemed like they kicked you a couple of times.” Himchan asked in, really concerned for the tall cute kid. The latter nodded again. “Okay. Well, come on. Where do you live? I’ll walk you home. It is dangerous to walk alone, so let me walk you home,” Himchan told the boy. He couldn’t help but feel protective of the kid.  
“I-I..” the kid stuttered nervously.  
“Oh don’t worry. I’m not gonna hurt you. Why would I save you from those assholes just to hurt you myself?” Himchan assured the kid, getting that he was nervous about what he would do. Hesitantly the kid nodded and started walking.  
“What’s your name?” Himchan asked as they walked.  
“Junhong,” the kid answered, cringing. It made Himchan look closer at the kid. He wasn’t covered in blue spots or anything like that, but he walked like a prey, as if in constant fear of being attacked. It was like Himchan when he was at home.  
“Well then, my name is Himchan. Kim Himchan,” Himchan introduced himself with a wide smile. “Where do you go to school?” he asked.  
“Korean National University of Arts,” Junhong mumbled in reply.  
“Really? That’s where I go to school! Wow, I thought you were a high schooler or something like that. You have a really young face. How come I haven’t seen you before then? I mean that cute face is something someone would remember. I’m guessing you don’t talk with a lot of people? Otherwise, I’d have heard of you for sure. Also with your height. I mean you’re awesomely tall! I wish I could be tall like you,” Himchan blabbered on, complementing Junhong with every other sentence.  
Junhong didn’t know what to do. He just kept quiet and walked. This guy Himchan talked non-stop and dressed like his bullies, yet not once did he say something bad about him. Instead, he got tons of compliments about everything he was ever teased with and more. He didn’t know what to do with it. As they got closer to his home, he pondered over Himchan's behavior. He never seemed to run dry of things to say. Zoning him out, he drifted back to the question of joining that group. The deep-voiced guy really seemed to want him to join. Jongup too. The other boy there he couldn't really read. He was too busy looking at Jongup to focus on him anyways. No attention was better than bad attention. He still didn't know if he should join or not.  
They reached his apartment block and Junhong stopped up, Himchan stopping a step later.  
“Is this where you live?” he asked and Junhong nodded. Himchan mumbled something that sounded like ‘better than where I live’, which made the boy wonder where he lived. He looked rich. A crash sounded from the building and the sound of Junhong’s dad yelling at his mom again. He cringed. Himchan’s eyes seemed to sharpen and Junhong felt like he was looking through him, seeing everything in his mind. A soft look came over Himchan’s face and his eyes became understanding.  
“If you’re ever in trouble, at home or at school, give me a call okay? I’ll find you and help you. No matter when or where,” Himchan told him softly, looking into his eyes as if telling him he really meant this. First, when Junhong nodded, did he look away and whip out a small notebook and a pencil from his pocket. How does that fit in there? Junhong thought in wonder. Himchan scribbled something in the notebook and then ripped out the paper and gave it to Junhong.  
“Call me. Anytime,” Himchan repeated and then gave him a bright smile and seemed to go back to the mindlessly talkative person he was as they walked. Junhong nodded again. With that, Himchan turned and walked away again, turning once to give him a wave. Standing in a daze, Junhong watched him go, until another crash cut through his blank thoughts.  
  


Youngjae sat, quietly as always, and ate dinner with his parents. No one ever really spoke when they ate. If they did, then it almost always ended up in someone getting mad or disappointed.  
“So how did it go with Victoria?” Youngjae’s dad asked.  
“Fine,” Youngjae answered cautiously, sensing that this was heading somewhere that wouldn’t be pleasant for him.  
"She’s a fine young lady,” Youngjae’s mom commented and Youngjae sensed something lying underneath it.  
“She’s decent,” Youngjae replied slowly and continued eating. He had a nagging sense in the back of his mind, turning his alarm clocks on.  
“We’ve been working together with her parents a lot lately. She’s at the top of her school, you know. One of the best at Ehwa’s Women’s University,” His dad continued. Youngjae’s alarms were now blaring. This sounds like… nooo. That’s the one thing they would never do, Youngjae thought as he analyzed every move his parents made.  
“We’re hoping that you will entertain her while we talk business with her parents in the future,” his dad remarked casually, but Youngjae heard the command in the tone. He didn’t like where this was going.  
“What is the reason for making me spend time with her? You’ve never required this before,” Youngjae asked, putting an end to the disguised orders. His dad set his utensils down with a small smack.  
“You will do as told, the reason will come with time, now behave,” Youngjae’s dad ordered icily. Youngjae put his own utensils down.  
“I have a right to know why I need to take time out of my schedule to be with her. If you don’t remember, then I have tons of things to do, that you have made me do to prepare for me taking over the company,” Youngjae fought back, wanting to know exactly why he needed to spend time with this woman. She obviously had a secret agenda other than just some friendly chatter.  
“Youngjae, you will do as we tell you. No questions asked. We will tell you in time. Until then, do as you’re told and behave properly. This is not the behavior we have taught you,” Youngjae’s mom told him calmly, yet demandingly.  
“I take this as Victoria is the one you want me to share the company with, and until you actually tell me why I need to spend time with her, I simply won’t,” Youngjae told them determined and stood up.  
“Thank you for dinner, it was delicious.” With that, he left the table and headed for his room.  
“Youngjae!” his dad called out for him, but he only closed the door in reply. In his room, he let out a dry laugh as a rush of uplifting adrenaline coursed through his veins. Usually, he was the one left at the dinner table instead of his parents. This was the first time he ever actually stood up for himself towards his parents.  
  


“Chan! I was hoping you’d come tonight,” Yongguk said as he sat down beside said person who grinned in return.  
“Are you playing tonight?” he continued hopefully. Himchan shook his head.  
“Sorry, Bbang. Not really up for it tonight,” he answered and Yongguk frowned slightly, but then replaced the frown with a gummy smile.  
“Okay. Why are you still wearing your hood? I know who you are now,” Yongguk asked and raised his hand to pull the hood down, but was stopped by Himchan’s quick hands.  
“ _You_ might know who I really am, but Kim Himchan is famous and Kim Himchan cannot be seen in a place like this,” Himchan replied haughtily making Yongguk roll his eyes at the Himchan personality he pulled up for a second.  
“You want to go out back and talk then? I don’t start for another hour,” Yongguk asked and Himchan nodded in return. The two of them stood up and made their way to the back. They entered the room where they seemed to end up every time. After closing the door behind him, Himchan pulled down his hood and Yongguk couldn’t help but stare at the boy. He still found it slightly weird to see the boy he despised be the same person as the one he admired and liked so much. Himchan shifted uncomfortably under the stare of his new friend, and the said friend shook his head and smiled a sheepish smile, gums and all.  
“We’ve really surprised my friend, Daehyun,” Yongguk told Himchan as he sat down on the couch. The latter gave him a look, telling him to continue. “You should have seen him when you came to me the other day. He was all worried that I’d gotten sick and kept muttering about several illnesses. And when we bumped into each other and didn’t end up fighting, you should have seen his face! It was priceless!” Yongguk told him and Himchan laughed, amused. Yongguk was pleased. He had wondered what Chan’s eyes looked like when he smiled. Of course, he had seen Himchan smile and laugh, but now that he could see it up close, he noticed that this looked slightly different from school. The smile and laugh Himchan had looked fake in comparison to Chan’s. Himchan is really just an image, Yongguk thought to himself with a smile, happy to confirm again that Chan was the real Himchan.  
“I saved a kid from being mugged today,” Himchan told Yongguk, and the latter felt his heart warm. “I was on my way to work when I saw him. I followed him home afterward. I suspect him to have trouble at home. And the way he walked was like he’s attacked constantly, so I think he might be bullied. He goes to our school,” He continued, showing his concern for the kid to Yongguk, whose heart warmed at the care his friend showed for a stranger. “He’s a cute boy, I don’t get why anyone would harm the kid. His name is Junhong, by the way,” Himchan finished and Yongguk’s eyes widened and sat up straighter at the name. The Junhong he knew was bullied as well.  
“Do you know him?” Himchan asked and Yongguk shrugged.  
“I might. There’s a tall kid called Junhong with amazing talents in rapping and dancing that I’ve asked to join my group. He’s bullied at school,” Yongguk answered thoughtfully. The two of them stared into the air thinking for a while.  
“I’ll point him out to you at school if I see him,” Himchan said after a while and Yongguk nodded.  
“Wait, how will you point him out to me, if we don’t communicate at school?” Yongguk asked, confused.  
“Give me your number,” Himchan said and took out his phone. Yongguk followed suit and the two switched phones and wrote down their respective numbers. When he got his phone back, Yongguk looked at his newly added contact Chan ^_^v with a smile.  
“Hey, you wouldn’t happen to know someone who sings R’n’B with a beautiful voice?” Yongguk asked Himchan thoughtfully, thinking of the guy he heard singing the other day that got away. Himchan was without a doubt the social butterfly at their school, knowing basically anyone or at least heard of them.  
“Well I know a couple who definitely know how to sing, but the question is, do you want the person to be male or female?” Himchan replied going through the catalog of people he knew could sing.  
“It was a boy I heard singing the other day. In this classroom, I wanted to find out who it was, but a series of unfortunate events prevented me from opening the door before the guy in there got away,” Yongguk explained, gracefully avoiding the fact he had slammed the door into his own foot. Himchan didn’t even need to think.  
“That was probably Yoo Youngjae.” He replied. Yongguk looked at him like he was crazy.  
“Yoo Youngjae? The heir to that weirdo company? He’s not exactly known for liking music. More like known for having an attitude and being crazy about maths and all those other horrible subjects,” Yongguk responded confused.  
“Yup, that Yoo Youngjae.” Himchan simply replied.  
“But I talked with him back in high school. He likes math and business and doesn’t have any passion for music. And the guy I heard had passion. You could hear it in his voice.” Yongguk argued.  
“Yeah, that’s what he makes everyone think. But I’ve heard him and seen him a couple of times. He’s the only one that fits your description. I’ve pondered over it myself, and I’ve come to the conclusion that he loves music and singing. It’s just his parents that are in the way. Being the heir to a worldwide company like that takes some serious work. It’s Yoo Youngjae. I know my people,” Himchan explained. Yongguk looked doubtful but a small smile played on his lips.  
“You sound like a king talking about his country.” He grinned and Himchan got a playful smile on his lips.  
“Ah, but you see, I am the king and you are all my subjects.” Himchan boasted and winked at Yongguk who facepalmed.

“Okay, okay, I’ll go look for Youngjae and see if I can get him to sing. Then we’ll see who is right,” Yongguk waved him off while Himchan grinned at him.  
“You’ll see I’m right,” Himchan said confidently. Yongguk smiled at him, but then turned serious.  
“Chan? Will you please reconsider joining? I’m guessing the reason you said no last time is because you’re Himchan, but now I know so..?” Yongguk asked him hopefully.  
“I can’t Bbang. I’m Kim Himchan. Basically famous. I’ll be recognized and I can’t be seen in these crowds,” Himchan told him sadly.  
“But you can quit being a model and join us. Your music is really beautiful and you’d be an amazing help with your experience of crowds. And I think you have a good singing and-or rapping voice.” Yongguk pleaded him.  
“I can’t Yongguk. I need the money from modeling. Otherwise, I wouldn’t go around in those damn skinny jeans. They literally kill my thighs,” Himchan answered, adding a joke at the end to lighten up the atmosphere. Yongguk smiled at the small joke but went back to frowning afterward. Silence settled over the two of them, but it didn’t feel uncomfortable as such. It was more like comfortable thoughtful silence. Suddenly, Yongguk brightened up in a huge gummy smile.  
“If I found a way for you not to be recognized as Kim Himchan the model on stage, but as Kim Himchan the part of a band, would you then join?” Yongguk asked inquiringly, hoping the boy in front of him would say yes. Himchan slowly nodded.  
“Yeah, I guess,” he answered slowly. Yongguk’s smile widened until it stretched from ear to ear.  
“Good, ‘cause I have and idea."


	11. Chapter Eleven

“Eh? Are you serious?” Daehyun asked flabbergasted. Yongguk nodded. “But you hate him! You were going at each other’s throats just last week!” Daehyun protested. He didn’t get anything right now.  
“We have... set our differences aside. Plus, he’s really talented,” Yongguk explained. Daehyun was lost. Himchan and Yongguk were like sworn enemies. How many times had Daehyun listened to Yongguk complaining about Himchan? Too many to count his mind helpfully supplied. But Himchan was joining their group, which Daehyun thought was fine as he had nothing against Himchan as such. The only thing he had against the boy was that he annoyed the crap out of his friend, and he listened to the complaining.  
“Well anyways, I was thinking that we all should meet up this weekend. So we could get to know each other a little bit before we start working,” Yongguk told him and Daehyun nodded.  
“Yeah, I have time this weekend. So it’s going to be what. You, me, Jongup, Himchan and maybe Junhong?” Daehyun asked and Yongguk shook his head.  
“I’m going to find Youngjae and ask him too,” he told Daehyun who had raised his eyebrow in question.  
“Didn’t you say he doesn’t have a passion for music?” Daehyun recalled from the time Yongguk had talked about him back in high school.  
“I did. But Himchan says that it’s him we heard and I trust him,” Yongguk told him. Daehyun blinked his eyes, asking himself if he actually just heard that.  
“You trust Himchan now?” he asked bewildered. “Did he save your life or something? Or maybe hit your head hard enough for you to get confused about what you think of him?” Daehyun asked pondering over which possibility was more plausible. The last one, Daehyun concluded to himself. Yongguk laughed.  
“None of the two. Just wait until you hear him play. It’s beautiful. I’ll text him and tell him to bring a guitar or whatever,” Yongguk answered and fished out his phone. Daehyun’s mouth was wide open behind his mask and his eyes were as big as teacups.  
“You have his num-”  
“Freak!” someone yelled, interrupting Daehyun and a loud crash sounded through the cafeteria. The two of them turned their heads towards the sound. It was Junhong. He was lying on the floor next to a table, with a couple of guys surrounding him.  
“Yah!” someone yelled and everyone’s eyes landed on Himchan. He had stood up from his table and was walking furiously towards the boys surrounding Junhong. His eyes were scary. There was so much anger in them that Daehyun squirmed in his seat, nervously, even though they weren’t directed at him.  
“What do you think you’re doing?” Himchan asked the boys, a threat laced into every word of his sentence.  
“I... We... We were just uh...” one of the boys stammered. They were obviously afraid.  
“You were just pushing this kid into a table,” Himchan said with a thick layer of ice coating the words. The boys fidgeted under the angry and stern gaze.  
“Mark my words insolent little unimportant characters. Do it again and I will come after you,” Himchan warned them and the boys nodded hurriedly like little scared children.  
“Scram, losers,” Yongguk told them, and Daehyun realized that he was alone at their table, Yongguk standing beside Himchan. The boys did as told and hurried out of the quiet cafeteria. Himchan turned towards Junhong.  
“Are you okay?” he asked the kid who was still on the floor, softly. Junhong nodded and Himchan gave him a small smile and held out his hand to help him up. Hesitantly, the tall boy reached for it and grabbed it. Himchan pulled him onto his feet and smiled at him, the cafeteria was filled with whispers about what was happening. Daehyun got up and looked at Yongguk and Himchan in disbelief.  
“Okay. Someone. Please tell me what the fuck is going here! Why are you not at each other’s throats?” Yongguk grabbed Daehyun’s arm and pulled him out the cafeteria. He motioned to Himchan to follow and bring Junhong along. When they arrived outside Yongguk stopped and turned around. Daehyun was looking at Yongguk and Himchan for an explanation as to why one of them weren’t dead yet.  
“So, I’m taking bad boy here didn’t tell you anything yet,” Himchan grinned and nodded towards Yongguk. Daehyun shook his head and motioned for them to continue. “Will you or shall I, Bbang?” Himchan asked Yongguk who shot him a look. Daehyun let out a laugh.  
“Bbang?” he laughed, forgetting the reason why he was standing with two mortal enemies for a second.  
“Shut up, Daehyun. Do you want to hear the story or not?” Yongguk told him. Daehyun pulled himself together and nodded.  
“Well, it’s simple really. You remember me talking about Chan? Well Himchan is Chan,” Yongguk explained and Daehyun‘s jaw dropped open for the nth time that day.  
“So, musical genius Chan is the same person as Himchan the, and I quote, ‘annoying, talentless, selfish, ignorant, bitch’?” Daehyun asked, wanting to get everything cleared. Yongguk opened his mouth to answer but Himchan interrupted him.   
“What? You said all that about me? I’m hurt. I know I can be annoying every once in a while, but I’m neither talentless, selfish or ignorant. And I am definitely not a bitch! I have a dick, for all who didn’t know,” Himchan complained and Yongguk wanted to facepalm.  
“I’m even wearing these tight skinny jeans, you’d think people would notice,” Himchan continued mumbling and this time Yongguk actually facepalmed.   
“Dude, we all know you’re a boy. Don’t worry. But yes Daehyun. They’re the same person,” Yongguk told Himchan and Daehyun. Daehyun lost his grip on his jaw and burst out laughing. It could not be true. From all the bad and degrading words Yongguk had spoken about Himchan, he couldn’t believe him and Chan was the same person.  
“This is - some lame - joke!” Daehyun panted between his laughs. Himchan rolled his eyes and looked at Yongguk, silently telling him that his friend is a jerk. Yongguk shrugged his shoulders in return.  
“Let him hear you play. He’ll believe us then,” Yongguk told him. Himchan paled and shook his head. ‘Please’ Yongguk mouthed at Himchan, while Daehyun was still laughing.  
“Fine,” Himchan snapped. He really didn’t want to, but the look on Yongguk’s face was so like a puppy, that he couldn’t resist.  
“Jung Daehyun. Come with me and you’ll hear me play. If you refuse, then I’ll call for Seo Young,” Himchan ordered Daehyun, who immediately stopped laughing at the mention of Seo Young’s name. Himchan nodded at the silence of the boy and then turned to Junhong who just stood staring at them, not knowing what to do.  
“Junhong sweetie, you’ll come too. I can’t let you be alone in this school filled with bullies,” he told him softly and with a smile, motioned for him to come along, as the four of them made their way to the music department.  
They reached the music department, and Himchan led them into the room with his favorite piano.  
“Sit and listen, you impolite little boy,” Himchan ordered Daehyun while he sat himself on the piano stool. Placing his fingers on the keys he took a ragged breath. He really didn’t want to do this, but Yongguk’s puppy like face before his eyes convinced him. How could anyone resist that face?  
“Fucking Bbang,” he muttered, hoping the said person would hear him and pressed down on the keys under his fingers.  
"I certainly hope not," Daehyun responded. Himchan's fingers stopped moving, Himchan clearly losing his focus with Daehyun's words. He was the first to laugh. It was clear and genuine and it didn't take more than a second before Daehyun was laughing too. They laughed for a good while, even Junhong joined in, albeit much more careful. When the laughter died down, Himchan tried the keys once again. The music was dark. The tones roamed the room, pressing a nightmare into everyone it met. Himchan’s fingers flew over the keys, finding their own way, as he lost himself in the music, letting the horrible morning he had tackle anyone in the room. The pain of the punch his dad had given him as a _good morning_ thundered out, the despair of having one’s homework being spilled alcohol on and then ripped to pieces flew after it. He had started crying. Tears were streaming down his cheeks as his music turned darker and louder, screaming his pain out to the world, daring them to live the nightmare he lived in. Asking why he had to live in this shit, why he couldn’t be happy? Wouldn’t anyone ease the pain for just a little while?

Himchan looked almost like a madman as his fingers flew over the keys at an incredible speed. Yongguk hadn’t heard him play like this before. It was dark. It was pure pain. It was like a nightmare, except you weren’t able to wake up. His heart hurt to the sound of the music, the crying Himchan whose hands flew furiously around as if finding their own way, the pure despair in the music. It made him choke on a huge lump in his throat. Himchan slowed down, and with three last thunders that sounded like he was asking ‘why?’, he stopped, letting his hands fall into his lap, tears still streaming down his cheeks. Yongguk silently thanked his instincts this morning and pulled out a pack of tissues from his pocket. He went over and handed to Himchan, who very much needed them. Putting what he hoped was a comforting hand on Himchan’s shoulder, he turned towards Daehyun and Junhong to see their reactions.  
Daehyun sat mesmerized with tear filled eyes. Not a sound or movement was made by the masked boy. Junhong had pulled his legs up to his body, hugging himself, as sobs shuddered through his body. Something touched his hand, and Yongguk looked down at Himchan, who was holding a half-empty pack of tissues out to him. Yongguk took it and Himchan nodded towards the crying boy. Nodding in return, Yongguk went over to the said boy and offered him the remaining tissues. Junhong took the tissues and nodded in thanks before starting to fumble it to dry his tears. Yongguk then returned to Himchan and put his hand back on his shoulder, stroking it with his thumb. None of them said anything. When Himchan seemed like he was getting back to himself, Yongguk looked at the other two boys in the room.  
“So what do you think?” he asked the two of them, though mostly Daehyun, whom this was all for.  
“I - wow...” was all Daehyun said, his voice cracking slightly. Yongguk simply nodded in response.  
“You believe me now?” he asked, already knowing the answer his friend would give. Daehyun nodded and Yongguk smiled. Yup. That’s what I expected.  
“Do my eyes look red?” a collected and back to normal Himchan asked Yongguk. The latter looked down at the before crying boy.  
“A little bit,” he answered truthfully.  
“Fuck! My image is ruined!” Himchan exclaimed dramatically.  
“I blame you, Bbang. You guys wouldn’t happen to have an eyeliner hidden in your pockets?” he asked looking around at the others. Yongguk laughed, knowing it was a joke, while Daehyun looked at him like he was crazy. Himchan followed Yongguk’s example and laughed too, leaving Daehyun dumbfounded. The two pulled themselves together, and Himchan stood up and stretched his limbs. Playing piano that way and crying took its toll on his body.  
“I’d love to stay and shower in your glorious praise of my music, but I’ve got to go and make sure my image is intact. I was seen leaving with a certain 'gangster' and his masked shy sidekick,” Himchan joked and winked at Yongguk, who broke out into laughter again. “Come Junhong. Let’s get you to class,” he continued in a soft tone. “You’re under my protection now, so people shouldn’t bother you, but I’ll take you just to make the message clear,” he finished in a determined voice. Yongguk couldn’t help but smile at Himchan fondly, while Junhong looked slightly nervous yet somehow thankful. The latter stood up and followed Himchan out the door, who threw out a ‘See you later Bbang and Daehyunnie’ as they disappeared out of sight. After a while of silence, Daehyun stood up and placed himself next to his friend.  
“I believe you now. I really do. He plays... too good to be true. But I refuse to be called Daehyunnie. That’s just so not cool for a ninja,”

  
Late afternoon, Youngjae found himself in the music department of the school, singing his heart out. It wasn’t often he had time enough to just stop and sing. He loved it. And this was the only place he could do so for his parents. As he let the last note of the song flow through the room, he opened his eyes and turned around.  
“Fuck!” he exclaimed and jumped backward, stumbling into the chair that was formerly standing and was now laying on the floor. The person responsible for his shock grinned at him.  
“Y-Yongguk Hyung. What are you doing here?” Youngjae asked, stuttering, nervous because someone just found out his secret.  
“Hey Youngjae,” Yongguk replied calmly, still smiling.  
“I haven’t-uh seen you in a while. Well spoken to you,” Youngjae said while fidgeting and bent down to put the chair back on its legs.  
“No, we haven’t talked since high school,” Yongguk replied, still wearing a smile.  
“So -uh... Sadly I can’t stay I have to go somewhere and do... something,” Youngjae told him speedily and started walking towards the door as fast as he could.  
“Why didn’t you tell me you liked to sing?” Yongguk asked him, freezing Youngjae in his step. Turning around to look at his Hyung, his mind sped off, trying to search for lies so he could explain his singing.  
“I don’t like to sing,” he ended up simply denying. Yongguk shook his head in disbelief.  
“You wouldn’t sing like that if you didn’t like singing. Please don’t lie to me Youngjae,” Yongguk replied with a disappointed tone. Youngjae felt guilty. One of the things he had told Yongguk back in high school was that he hated the liars and manipulating people he had to hang around with because of the business, and he had just lied to the very person he told that to.  
“I’m sorry. What do you want me to say?” Youngjae asked desperately, ashamed.  
“The truth,” Yongguk replied.  
“I like singing,” Youngjae stated and Yongguk nodded, a soft smile back on his lips.  
“I could hear it in the way you sang. You have a very beautiful voice, Youngjae,” Yongguk told him and Youngjae couldn’t help the smile on his lips at the compliment. He loved singing more than anything else, so the compliment from the most passionate man who loved music meant a lot to him.  
“Thank you,” he thanked him and Yongguk’s smile turned brighter.  
“I don’t know if you’ve heard from Jongup, but I’m putting together a group, a band. I want to invite you to join,” Yongguk told him and Youngjae couldn’t help but let his imagination fly. He imagined himself, standing on a stage with hundreds of people in front of him, wanting to hear him sing. But then he remembered the company and everything crashed. A frown showed on his lips.  
“I’m sorry, but I can’t,” he answered Yongguk, who frowned at the answer.  
“Look Youngjae. I know that you’re thinking about your parents and the company right now, but if I remember correctly, then it doesn’t take up all your time. And your face showed me just now that you want this as well. When you sing, I can hear how much you like it. So think about my offer,” Yongguk told him seriously, hoping that his speech would change his mind. Youngjae thought about what he said.  
“My parents wouldn’t approve, I have to go to extra tutoring and I have people to meet and talk with,” Youngjae told him, stating the reasons why he shouldn’t join.  
“Yeah, but you obviously like it, you don’t have to do those things all the time, your parents’ opinion isn’t as important to you anymore. At least that's what I got from the way you said it, and most important of all, you like singing,” Yongguk replied, basically telling him he could do it. Youngjae simply nodded as he thought about the things Yongguk said.  
“We’re meeting at my house this weekend. Do you remember where it is?” Yongguk asked and Youngjae nodded in reply.  
“You can come if you want to,” Yongguk told him and Youngjae once again nodded, still in deep thought. Yongguk turned and walked to the door.  
“My parents would probably disown me if they found out,"


	12. Chapter Twelve

Yongguk was pacing back and forth in front of Yongnam. The slightly older twin was having the time of his life, watching his twin brother. Heck, he even had a bag of popcorn and a coke at his disposal.  
“Was that the doorbell?” Yongnam asked, feigning surprise. Yongguk stopped up and hurried out of the living room to open the front door. Seconds later, he was back with a fuming look on his face and Yongnam broke out in laughter.  
“Fuck off, Yongnam!” Yongguk growled at his twin who just laughed harder.  
“You should’ve seen your face! You were all like: What!? Oh no! I missed the doorbell,” Yongnam laughed at his brother, making the best imitation of Yongguk's face. Yongguk stuck his tongue out at him.  
“Watch out or I’ll eat your popcorn,” Yongguk threatened. That immediately shut Yongnam up.  
“You wouldn't dare,” Yongnam threatened him. The thing is, you simply do not touch Yongnam’s popcorn. Yongguk lunged for the popcorn before his brother could think past the threat. Yongnam jumped out of the way but lost a few popcorn in the process to his brother.  
“Stay away from my popcorn!” Yongnam yelled and Yongguk only grinned and went for him again. A minute later, the two of them were on the floor wrestling, the bag of popcorn left alone on the coffee table.

The doorbell rang, interrupting them, and Yongguk froze in the middle of pinning Yongnam to the floor. Scrambling up, Yongguk took off to open the door, forgetting about his grumbling and pouting brother. Excited, Yongguk opened the door with a huge smile plastered on his face, only to have it crumble down.  
“Oh. It’s only you,” he greeted Daehyun.  
“What? Is that the welcome I get!?” Daehyun complained and pushed his way past Yongguk, who closed the door behind him. “Do you have any cheesecake?” he asked more the air than Yongguk who grinned at his friend’s habit for the cake. “Hey, Yongnam-Hyung,” Daehyun greeted Yongnam as he walked through the living room.  
“Cheesecake’s on the second shelf in the fridge,” Yongnam greeted back and Daehyun gave him a huge smile.  
“See, Yongguk, this is how you treat your friends!” Daehyun scolded Yongguk as he disappeared into the kitchen. Yongguk only shrugged and plopped down onto the couch next to Yongnam, who hurriedly pulled his popcorn away from Yongguk.  
“So when are the others coming?” Daehyun asked when he came back with a huge slice of cheesecake on a plate.  
“Dude, that’s like half the cake!” Yongguk pointed out with a look at the 'slice'.  
“I like cheesecake,” was all Daehyun answered as he sat down on the other couch and started eating. Yongnam and Yongguk gave each other a knowing look, but the doorbell interrupted before they could make their shared message public.

Yongguk sprang up and made his way to the front door once again and opened, a huge smile back on his lips. In the doorway was a widely smiling Jongup and a very nervous looking Junhong.  
“Hi, come on in,” Yongguk greeted them happily, and the two stepped in. The two walked on into the living room as Yongguk closed the door behind them. Now they were only missing Himchan and hopefully Youngjae. When he joined them in the living room, he saw Jongup sitting down next to a frozen and surprisingly not eating Daehyun, Junhong sitting down next to Jongup. Yongguk smiled to himself. It was so obvious that it was basically written in neon lights. Daehyun had a crush on Jongup. Before Yongguk could say anything though, the doorbell rang again, and he went back to open the door.

It was Himchan.  
“Chan,” Yongguk greeted with a wide smile at the boy in front of him.  
“Bbang,” Himchan greeted back, with a smile that reached his eyes and left Yongguk mesmerized for a couple of seconds.  
“Come on in,” Yongguk said and moved out of the way so Himchan could get past him. Himchan nodded and went in, waiting for Yongguk before walking on. After closing the door, Yongguk led Himchan to the living room where the others were.  
“Holy shit, there’s another Bbang! What is this sorcery!?” Himchan exclaimed when he saw Yongnam sitting on the couch.  
“Hey, last time I saw you, you were unconscious,” Yongnam greeted in return.  
“Chan, meet my twin brother Yongnam,” Yongguk introduced his brother.  
“Why are you wearing makeup?” Yongnam asked Himchan curiously.  
“Because otherwise my beauty and perfection would blind all of you,” Himchan answered cockily and Yongnam laughed.  
“I like this dude a lot more when he’s awake," Yongnam remarked to Yongguk as Himchan threw himself onto the couch next to Yongnam.  
“What? You’ve been here before? Unconscious?” Daehyun asked with a surprised voice.  
“Yeah, Yongguk came home one day with him in his arms, looking all worried and panicked. We didn’t see him for hours after that. Made us wonder what he was doing, but since we didn’t hear any noises, we excluded him having turned gay and was currently sexing it up with each other,” Yongnam told them and Yongguk silently died in embarrassment. He sank down on the couch beside Himchan, trying to find his way out of the suddenly overwhelming embarrassment. A loud smack was heard and Yongnam clutched his head in pain.  
“You do not talk that way in front of my baby!” Himchan scolded him.  
“Your baby?” Daehyun asked bewildered.  
“Junhong,” Himchan answered with a fond smile. Everyone’s eyes turned to look at the said boy. Junhong seemed to want to sink into the cushions behind him and be swallowed whole.  
“Stop looking at him, he’s shy!” Himchan reprimanded all of them and they quickly looked away and back at him.  
“You know, I think I liked you better unconscious,” Yongnam remarked thoughtfully, which earned him a glare from Himchan.  
“Bbang, your brother is almost as bad as you. But at least he has a sense of humor,” Himchan told Yongguk with a dry smile.  
“So do you know if Youngjae is coming?” Himchan asked Yongguk.  
“He didn’t answer, so I don’t know,” Yongguk answered. Himchan nodded.  
“He’s coming then,” he answered confidently.  
“How do you know?” Yongnam asked and Himchan smirked at him.  
“Because I am the king, and I know my subjects,” Himchan simply replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. As if planned, the doorbell rang right at that second and Yongguk made wide eyes at Himchan.  
“Go open up before he changes his mind,” Himchan told him and Yongguk jumped up to follow orders.

Yongguk reached the front door and opened it, hopes high at what Himchan said. And what do you know, there was Youngjae, looking slightly doubtful if he should be here. Himchan had been right down to the very last detail.  
“Youngjae, I’m so glad you came,” Yongguk greeted him in happy wonder that Himchan was right. Youngjae nodded and stepped in as Yongguk stepped out of the way.  
“I can only stay for two hours. Then I have to go. I have tutoring,” Youngjae told him and Yongguk nodded in response before leading the boy into the living room.  
“I’m glad you decided to come, Youngjae,” Himchan said with a smile as soon as they entered the room. Youngjae nodded in return.  
“Himchan-Hyung. Are you finally going to show the world the musical talents that have gotten you to university without paying a penny since middle school?” Youngjae greeted in return in a polite tone.  
“As you’ve decided to show the world the beautiful voice that has been locked away behind doors so no one can hear,” Himchan replied just as politely, with a knowing tone woven into his voice.This guy just knows everything, Yongguk thought to himself. Youngjae let out a smile and Himchan indicated for him to sit as if it was his house they were in instead of Yongguk’s.  
“Youngjae, I’m guessing you already know Himchan and Jongup, but the guy licking the plate clean is Daehyun and over there is Junhong,” Yongguk introduced the two people, pointing to the indicated people. Junhong cringed. He did that often. “And this guy who looks like me is my twin, Yongnam,” he finished and pointed towards his brother who grinned and made a peace sign at the boy.  
“Well then. I’ll leave your company now and go do my... homework, so I won’t disturb you the next hours,” Yongnam said and stood up.  
“No you’re not,” Himchan said and Yongnam turned to look at him in surprise. “You’re not going to do your homework. You’re going on a date in an hour,” Himchan told him and Yongnam’s jaw dropped to the floor.  
“Y-you... how... How do you know that?” Yongnam stuttered trying to get his wits back together and deny.  
“Oh please. I’m Kim Himchan. Jun Hyosung is one of my many friends. She told me that she had a date with a Bbang’s today. I didn’t know it was a twin brother though,” Himchan told him with as much sass as he could make. Yongnam opened and closed his mouth like a fish, trying to say something.  
“Don’t hurt yourself Yongnam and close that mouth,” Himchan ordered him with a smirk and Yongnam obeyed. “Now, if you want my advice, which you do, then you’ll get yourself into some cleaner looking clothes instead of that you’re wearing, ‘cause there are popcorn and dandruff on that one. And then you’ll hurry to Hyosung’s house and pick her up there instead of meeting her at the mall like you agreed. She’s got nothing to do today besides this date and it’ll make her really happy,” Himchan told him with a smile.  
“How do you know everything?” Yongnam asked in wonder. Himchan smirked and replied confidently,  
“I am Kim Himchan.The only flaw I have is that I’m perfect,”

“You? Perfect?” Youngjae snorted. “How can you possibly be perfect?”  
Himchan snorted and looked at Youngjae with the most confident look in the world.  
“Easy. I simply be me,” Himchan answered cockily and everyone in the room rolled their eyes except Junhong who was in his corner of the couch looking slightly nervous.  
“See, Junhong agrees,” Himchan said and pointed at the boy who cringed at the mention of his name and shrank further into the couch.

“You don’t like your name, do you?” Yongguk asked the tall boy who cringed every time they mentioned his name. He shook his head as an answer, looking down at his feet.  
“Let’s give you a new one then!” Jongup suggested, gaining everyone’s attention by talking. The boys visibly thought about it and small nods were made after a while. They then turned to look at the boy who might get a new name to get his approval. The said boy nodded, slightly nervous under the gaze of so many people.  
“Well then. What should it be? Any suggestions?” Yongguk concluded and looked around at them.  
“Jaejoong, Changmin, Junho, Yoohwan?” Daehyun shot out suggestions. Junhong shook his head at the names.  
“Maybe English names? Like Alexander, Michael or Chris?” Youngjae suggested, but both Himchan and Junhong shook their heads.  
“It needs to fit him more,” Himchan said as he looked at the tall boy, searching for who he was before continuing.  
“How about Zelo? It’s from the Greek god called Zelus. Son of Pallas and Styx. Zelus and his siblings Nike, Bia and Kratos stood attendance by Zeus’ throne. Zelus personifies envy and jealousy but also dedication, emulation, eager rivalry, and zeal. Those last four being something that you possess. You might be bullied and yelled at, yet you still fight on with dedication. You rap and dance with passion, wanting to become better than anyone else, which shows emulation and eager rivalry and you do this with zeal. Zelus is also closely accommodated with Agon. Which is the mythological personification of a contest or a competition, therefore Zelo. Fighting dedicated, becoming one of the best,” Himchan finished still looking directly in Junhong’s eyes with a clear understanding of who he was, what he did, and what he has gone and was still going through. Junhong nodded with tears in his eyes. He wasn’t used to being praised or understood like that. The other four boys stood with mouths wide open, staring at Himchan. Three of them wondered where this completely different side to Himchan came from and the last wondering where the fuck he knew all that from.  
“Well, Zelo it is,” Yongguk said as he shook himself out of the daze Himchan had put all of them in.  
“Tell me. Where do you know all that stuff from?” he asked Himchan curiously.  
“My dad read me Greek mythology for me as goodnight stories when I was a kid,” Himchan explained with a nostalgic smile. A chorus of ‘oh’s were heard from the four boys.

“Thank you,” Zelo thanked Himchan in a small voice with a small smile accompanying it.  
Himchan nodded in return and gave him a smile that was utterly Chan instead of his cover, Himchan. Yongguk smiled fondly at his complicated friend. Even though they hadn’t known each other, as in actually knowing who the other person is, he had come to trust and cherish him.  
“Well then. I’ll just introduce everyone to everyone then. Or whatever you call it,” Yongguk started. “Zelo here is a great rapper and dancer. Jongup has a good voice and is a dance prodigy from what I’ve seen. Daehyun has a great voice when we’ve fought the stage fright out of him and Youngjae has an absolutely beautiful voice. Lastly, Himchan here has quite the musical talent and great potential in his voice. Oh and uh... I rap.” Yongguk introduced them all and then himself.  
“And you also have quite the musical talent, though not as great as mine,” Himchan supplied with a playful smirk in Yongguk’s direction. The latter’s heart warmed, as he knew the last comment was only to keep up Himchan’s image up. Daehyun shot Yongguk a look but Yongguk just smiled back.  
“Go eat some more cheesecake,” Yongguk told him. Daehyun did as told without complaint.

When Daehyun came back with the other half of the cake on his plate, Yongguk got down to business.  
“The music and performance I was thinking of are with both singing, rapping, and dancing. Which is why I wanted the best. We’ll learn from each other, most of us here needing dance. I asked Jongup about this and he’s willing to teach us. Zelo doesn’t need dance, but it would be great if we could rap together.” Yongguk told them and they all nodded in approval. “I’ve had singing lessons, so I can help those who need that.” Youngjae offered, which earned a smile from Yongguk.

 


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Explicit content

“Where’s your next class?” Himchan asked Zelo enthusiastically when the latter stepped out of his class.  
“C14,” Zelo mumbled back, which Himchan only just caught.  
“Well then, shall we go?” Himchan said with a soft smile and Zelo nodded. The two of them made their way through the school, Himchan slightly in front, greeting several people on their way, with Zelo trailing behind him nervously like a duckling following its mother.  
“Himchan!” someone shouted and the two turned towards a boy pushing through a crowd of people to get to them.  
“Aron!” Himchan called back and smiled at the boy who stopped in front of him.  
“Himchan! Drop the boy and let’s go. We’re going to this new cafe for our free lesson,” Aron said with a smile. Zelo felt a tug of fear in his heart that he would be left behind with his bullies at this school by Himchan. Ever since Himchan had started following him around, he had only been bullied once. And Himchan had saved him once again and chased them away with a single glare.  
“Sorry Aron, I can’t. I need Zelo to his class,” Himchan answered with a look at Zelo who felt relief, though it didn’t show.  
“Come on Himchan! He doesn’t need to be walked everywhere like a kindergarten kid,” Aron whined and Himchan gave him a look, silently telling him to shut up and then looked fondly at Zelo. Something changed in Aron’s eyes as well, as he saw the fond look Himchan gave the tall boy.  
“You never change do you?” Aron asked Himchan in a wondrous tone.  
“Why change perfection?” Himchan answered with a wink and Aron laughed.  
“We’ll wait for you then,” Aron said to Himchan and then turned to Zelo.  
“You’re lucky. No one will bother you with Himchan around. He turns into a protective mother that won’t let anything happen to his kid,” he told Zelo and with a wave left the two of them.  
“Let’s go, my dear,” Himchan told Zelo, and the two headed towards C14 again.

  
Daehyun and Yongguk were lost. They had no idea where they were. They had to meet Jongup and the rest of the newly formed band in ten minutes. And they had still to locate the dance school Jongup taught at. That was where they had agreed to meet.  
“This is all your fault,” Daehyun accused Yongguk.  
“What!?My fault? Who was it that suddenly ran off down a side road because he smelled cake and then couldn’t find his way back?” Yongguk scolded Daehyun in return.  
“I can’t help it! That cake was simply calling for me. And you have to admit, that it was one of the best cakes you’ve ever tasted,” Daehyun defended himself, to which Yongguk rolled his eyes.  
“Okay, it was one of the best things I’ve ever put in my mouth, but that still doesn’t change the fact that we’re lost, dimwit.” Yongguk shot back.  
“Can’t you go into your 'ninja mode', as you call it, and get us to that damn dance school in ten minutes?” he asked his friend.  
“My ninja mode is not something that can be called forward whenever it pleases you. It needs an important mission or a time of need before I can use it,” Daehyun told Yongguk in a high manner. Yongguk’s hand shot out, grabbed Daehyun’s collar and pulled him up into his face.  
“Get us to that dance school in less than ten minutes, or I will make you suffer,” Yongguk growled at his friend. “I will haunt you to make sure you don’t eat cheesecake in a month!” he threatened and Daehyun’s eyes widened in fear.  
“I’ll get us there in five,” Daehyun croaked and Yongguk let go of the poor boy with a smile.  
“Awesome, let’s go,” Yongguk told him with a big gummy smile stretched on his face.  
“Why am I friends with this guy?” Daehyun mumbled to himself.

  
Jongup was slowly showing four of the members of the newly formed band (Youngjae was at tutoring), how to perform the moves he had just gone through. Yongguk got by somewhat, Zelo was perfect, Himchan was slightly struggling as he wanted it to be nothing less than perfect, and Daehyun was simply failing. He was too distracted by Jongup and though he absorbed every silent word, he never got past staring like a deer caught in headlights.  
“Five, six, seven, eight.” Jongup started the dance once more. “Daehyun pay attention!” Jongup said when Daehyun messed up for the nth time that day. Daehyun mumbled a small embarrassed ‘sorry’ and tried to focus on dancing. But once again it failed as he saw Jongup move his body in that entrancing way. It was like a spell being cast upon Daehyun, making him unable to focus on anything other than the quiet muscled boy. They finished the routine, Daehyun messing up every other move, and Jongup turned to look directly at the four of them. To Zelo he gave a look of approval, telling him he was great. To Himchan and Yongguk he approved of their constant trying and eager passion to learn. He told them they did very well for their first time, but they would need to practice at home. Jongup then turned to Daehyun. Silently he told him to stay after the others left so they could work on his dancing together. Daehyun nodded and his heart fluttered at the thought of only the two of them together. Jongup then told all four of them that it was enough for today and that they had done well.  
“Thank you,” Yongguk thanked Jongup and the latter nodded in return with a bright smile.  
“Come on Zelo sweetie. Mama will walk you home,” Himchan told Zelo after saying his own thanks to Jongup. Zelo looked rather awkward but nodded while Yongguk chuckled to himself.  
“I’ll walk with you too 'MamaChan',” Yongguk laughed and winked. He then mentally facepalmed and asked himself why he was acting like this when Chan was there. Stupid, stupid, stupid, why don’t you just go smash your head into a wall? Yongguk internally cried out to the world in despair.  
“You flatter me Bbang,” Himchan smirked. “Keep doing it.” he finished with a mischievous smile.  
“Shut up Chan,” Yongguk told Himchan, as they walked out the door of the room, Zelo following behind. Daehyun turned towards Jongup slowly once the door clicked shut, leaving the two in silence. Jongup raised a hand and motioned Daehyun closer and the latter's feet obeyed without hesitation. The closer he got, the warmer he felt up the back of his neck and his palms felt sweaty. The sweaty palms were  _not_  because of the exercising. His feet were eager to approach the dancer while Daehyun's head was screaming at him to get away. He couldn't bear the thought of being so close to Jongup. 'Follow me' Jongup's body seemed to say before he repeated one of the many moves for Daehyun, though much slower than before. The slow pace allowed Daehyun to keep his eyes on the dancer in front of him while he repeated the movement. He was almost proud when he finished without messing up. Jongup didn't look convinced with his abilities. He continued with another move just as slow and Daehyun attempted to copy. The fact he had to turn messed up the move. He couldn't do that with Jongup in front of him. He couldn't take his eyes off the boy. With a sigh - the first sound Jongup had made since they entered the studio - he looked at Daehyun inquisitively. Daehyun felt like Jongup was trying to figure out how he was put together. Daehyun couldn't help but blush slightly at the scrutiny while his heart fluttered. The dancer's shoulders squared up in determination and he stepped around Daehyun, placing himself flush against his back.   
"I'm going to be your spine and I'm going to guide you through this. Just follow my lead," Jongup spoke, breath fanning against Daehyun's ear. Daehyun was so not ready for whatever was coming.   
Daehyun could feel how Jongup was standing close. He could feel the heat from Jongup's chest against his shoulder blades. Jongup was entirely too close. Way too close. Without further warning, Jongup moved both of them. Daehyun felt manhandled like a rag doll as he stumbled forward, having been in his own daydream. Jongup stopped moving, allowing Daehyun to find his balance again. Daehyun nodded when he was ready and Jongup tapped his foot against the floor loud enough for Daehyun to hear. It was a silent countdown and indication of the beat. Simultaneously, Daehyun and Jongup moved. Whenever Daehyun moved too little, Jongup pushed him further with his body. Whenever he moved too much, an arm around his waist kept him in place - flush against Jongup's waist and pelvis.  
Daehyun felt Jongup's fingers on his arms, slowly trailing from his elbows and to his wrist. The fingers were barely ghosting against his skin but they made Daehyun raise his arms to the right position. Daehyun missed a beat thanks to the burning trail on his arms. Instead, Jongup's body collided with his own and both were sent stumbling forward at the impact. Jongup wasn't kidding when he was dancing. He was like a bulldozer. A very, very,  _very_ , elegant bulldozer.   
Daehyun apologized profusely as they both got into position once again. This time, Daehyun was prepared and after Jongup's initial countdown against the floor, they danced together and Daehyun managed to do the turn he had failed at earlier - finally. Next move Jongup introduced, Daehyun definitely wasn't prepared for. It was a move they hadn't even covered while they were the five of them dancing. That's why Daehyun had gone stiff and very much confused when he felt Jongup's lower half grind against his backside. Wide-eyed, Daehyun turned around to face the dancer behind him. Jongup gave him a quick look before he was released and the dancer took a couple of steps to the side. He demonstrated the move. Daehyun could have sworn all saliva decided to leave his mouth just then. He needed something to drink.   
Jongup returned to stand behind Daehyun and placed his arms around Daehyun's body, placing one hand just above the hem of his pants and the other just below his ribs. Once they were settled, Jongup tapped the rhythm against the floor and Daehyun found himself guided through a hip roll. And another. And another. And one more. Daehyun felt the front of Jongup's crotch rub against his backside and it was getting increasingly impossible to focus. More often than not, he found himself pressing back against the dancer's movements instead of following them. A low groan left the dancer who otherwise seemed unfazed by the ordeal. Daehyun tested his luck as he arched his back slightly. He knew Jongup would notice. Jongup understood bodies better than most. Unlike what Daehyun had expected, the dancer tightened his hold around Daehyun's waist and pulled him closer. Daehyun wondered what he was up to, but realized it was to make him follow his steps.  
He turned his head, looking at the dancer over his shoulder. Before his vision had even adjusted and gone clear to the proximity, Daehyun felt something soft slot against his lips. It was slightly moist, full and soft. Jongup was kissing him and Daehyun almost lost all decency as his feet stayed in position while his body moved with Jongup's. He had been Jongup's arms from falling. If Jongup hadn't been holding him up, he would have knocked his knees into the floorboards. His eyes widened as he regained his balance but slid closed just as quickly. Jongup was kissing him. His crush was kissing him. Jongup made a move to pull away and Daehyun's arms raised quickly to reach backward and held on to Jongup's head. He wasn't letting him go anytime soon. He pulled him closer and soon they were engaged in another lip-lock.   
The kiss was gentle, insecure, and the angle made it horribly awkward. Daehyung wouldn't want it any other way. It was perfectly imperfect. The longer the kiss lasted, the more uncomfortable Daehyun got. The angle put a strain on his neck and it wasn't really comfortable anymore. He slowly turned around in Jongup's arms and instead of holding on to his head, he wrapped his arms around his shoulders. Jongup's hands roamed his back as they adjusted to their new position. The kissing got a whole lot easier and the strain in Daehyun's neck disappeared altogether. It was replaced by a burning in his lungs instead and he had to break the kiss. He leaned forward and went for Jongup's ear instead, bringing his earlobe between his lips. A gentle suck drew a low mewl out of the dancer and Daehyun's chest swelled with pride. Daehyun basked in the dominance shortly. The short-lived submission from the dancer was ended when Jongup went for Daehyun's neck. It took the dancer no time before Daehyun's knees went wobbly and his breath hitched. Jongup sucked at Daehyun's pulse-point and the older boy was all weak knees. Without Daehyun even noticing, his shirt had been lifted and Jongup pulled away just long enough to strip the older from his shirt, quickly letting his own follow in its wake. Daehyun swallowed his tongue as Jongup's upper body was naked and exposed to his eyes. He was all muscles and abs and broad chest. He even had the most perfect man-boobs known to mankind. Daehyun knew they were all muscles and that only make Jongup all that more attractive to him. Daehyun didn't get a chance to touch before Jongup had pressed him backward. The older found himself trapped between a wall and Jongup. His breath was taken away when Jongup dove in for another heated and sloppy kiss which Daehyun easily entertained.   
The room was thick with lust, one man more desperate than the other. They parted for some much-needed air and Daehyun took the chance to really take in the view of the dancer. He even had the decency to get flustered as he felt Jongup's eyes on himself too, but not enough to even consider covering up. Jongup stepped forward again. His lips ended on Daehyun's collarbone and his hands on his ass. Daehyun's hands ended on Jongup's abs in return and went lower. Daehyun bit his lips to silence himself as he felt the heat of Jongup's arousal through the fabric of his shorts and the distinct curve of his length beneath his fingertips. Daehyun pressed against the arousal and Jongup sent a tingling moan through Daehyun's chest and straight to his own groin. Daehyun made a tug at the dancer's shorts and made them drop to the floor. He looked down and swallowed thickly at the strongly toned legs were exposed to the world. He was suddenly thankful Jongup had been wearing shorts reaching below his knees. He wouldn't have been able to get a single dance move right if he had had as much as a glimpse of Jongup's thighs earlier. Daehyun's gaze had traveled up Jongup's legs to his crotch, branding the sight of his erection trapped in boxers to memory. He hadn't even caught on to a single sign that could have prepared him to be lifted off the floor and carried towards the speakers. He was placed down on a table and pressed backward. Jongup was hovering above him a second later and they were kissing again. Daehyun had spread his legs to accommodate Jongup between his thighs and their crotches pressed together. Daehyun moaned into the dancer's mouth, hands coming up to tangle into his locks. It was messy and it was dirty and Daehyun was aching with need for the young dancer. Unable to collect enough oxygen to sustain his body, Daehyun broke the kiss and panted heavily. Jongup didn't hesitate before he pulled back and rid Daehyun from clothes from the waist and down. It all happened too quickly. Daehyun blinked once and didn't even see where his boxers went. Daehyun blinked again, and Jongup was just as naked as himself.

Jongup knelt between his legs and smirked up at Daehyun. The older perched himself onto his elbows, refusing to miss out on the view of Jongup between his thighs, face so incredibly close to his aching cock. Daehyun was slightly embarrassed to see his tip already glistening with precum but Jongup didn't seem to mind. Quite on the contrary. Jongup leaned in and dragged the flat of his tongue across his tip, making Daehyun moan loudly. His body seized up in pleasure and Jongup placed his hands on his thighs. He raised his legs so his heels rested at the edge of the table and returned his attention to the erection. Daehyun watched as Jongup took the tip between his lips and sucked. At first, it was careful and gentle until he hollowed his cheeks and tried to inhale Daehyun's cock. The suction was so hard it made Daehyun release a silent scream of pleasure, his head tilting backward as every focus he managed was aimed at not bucking up into his mouth.   
Daehyun was already wound tight on the pleasure. He wasn't sure how long he was going to last with Jongup sucking on his cock. His thighs were already tensing and his toes were curling. Daehyun was embarrassed he couldn't last longer. His abdomen tightened as Jongup went lower on his dick, taking all of him into his mouth.   
Daehyun was convinced Jongup had special abilities when it came to reading bodies. Just as Daehyun was about to warn him about him oncoming orgasm, the boy pulled back and grabbed his dick in his fist. He stroked a couple of times before he pressed the nail of his thumb into his slit and-...

"Jung Daehyun!"


	14. Chapter Fourteen

“Is this where you live?” Yongguk asked when the of them arrived in front of Zelo’s apartment block. Zelo nodded in answer and turned with a small wave towards the door.  
“Zelo, wait,” Himchan stopped him and the said person turned to look at him.  
“You told me the other day that you don’t have a phone, so here’s my old one. I got you a number as well, so you can call me if you’re in trouble. I’m on speed dial 1,” Himchan told the tall boy and fished out a cell phone from his pocket that he gave to Zelo.  
“I also put in Bbang’s number if you want to contact him. Call me anytime, day or night. If you’re in trouble, if you need to talk, or someone to talk to you. Anything,” Himchan continued and the tall boy nodded once again. There were tears in his eyes and they shone with gratitude. “Now go on in,” Himchan told him with a smile and Zelo did as told. When Himchan turned to look at Yongguk, he was met with eyes that expressed wonder and admiration and something else, but it made his heart beat faster for a second.  
“You’re a really nice guy,” Yongguk told his friend who smiled softly.  
“Thank you,” Himchan replied.  
“Wanna go to my place?” Yongguk then offered.  
“Yeah, that would be nice,” Himchan answered with a nod and the two of them walked off towards Yongguk’s home.

“I recorded a new beat today that I think we could use for our composition,” Yongguk told Himchan when they entered his room. “I think you’ll like it,” Himchan nodded to encourage him to show him it. Yongguk fished out an USB from a pile of junk on his table and connected it to a small speaker. The beat sounded through the room and Himchan found himself tapping his foot to it.  
“I like it,” Himchan told Yongguk when it finished. “Do you have a guitar?” he added shortly after.  
“My brother has. We can go ask if we can borrow it,” Yongguk answered, stood up and motioned for Himchan to follow him out. The two of them walked across the hall and entered Yongnam’s room without knocking. Himchan cracked in laughter at the sight he saw. Yongnam was standing on one leg on top of his chair in boxers and a t-shirt with a controller in his hand and his tongue out in a concentrated look.  
“The fuck are you doing Nam?” Yongguk asked, chuckling. Said person looked in their direction and quickly stepped down and paused the game on the TV.  
“Playing Spyro,” Yongnam answered as if he wasn’t just caught standing on a chair with one leg up in the air.  
“Sometimes, I hope that one of us is adopted,” Yongguk said dryly.  
“Oh my dear Guk, we look too much alike. But at least I don’t play _Warzone_  in the living room with a Tigger doll,” Yongnam shot back and Yongguk’s face blushed into a deep red. Himchan, on the other hand, cracked into a full-blown laughter again.  
“Tigger doll?” Himchan managed to speak between laughs.  
“He sleeps with it as well,” Yongnam provided and nodded thoughtfully while his twin reddened further if that was even possible.  
  
Yongguk jumped towards his twin and gave him a fist on his upper arm.  
“Ow!” Yongnam yelled and rubbed his arm where Yongguk hit him. “How could you? Against your own brother?” Yongnam faked a devastated voice and a pout. Yongguk rolled his eyes and told his brother to shut up.  
“Can we borrow your guitar?” Yongguk asked his brother, wanting to get out of there before Yongnam could embarrass him more.  
“No. You just hit me!” Yongnam denied and stuck his tongue out at him.  
“It’s not for me, it’s for Chan,” Yongguk told him with a sigh.  
“Oh. Well, that changes everything,” Yongnam said and turned to Himchan. “Thanks by the way. Hyosung was really happy that I came earlier and picked her up,” Yongnam told Himchan who smiled.  
“Of course. My advice is gold,” Himchan told them, words bathing in self-confidence. Yongnam walked over to one corner where a black guitar stood and as if handling something very fragile, took it from its stand.  
“She’s very beautiful,” Himchan told him when Yongnam handed him the guitar.  
“He knows she’s a girl,” Yongnam said to Yongguk wiping away an invisible tear. Yongguk rolled his eyes at his brother's antics.  
“Thanks, Nam,” Yongguk thanked his brother and started to walk out of the room now that they had what they came for.  
“It wasn’t for you dear abusive brother. It was for your wonderful friend,” Yongnam dismissed them and Yongguk chuckled as he exited the room.  
“I know I’m awesome,” Himchan commented as he went after Yongguk and winked in Yongnam’s direction.   
“Play the beat,” Himchan told Yongguk when they arrived back in Yongguk’s room and slung the strap over his head. Turning on the beat, Yongguk turned to look at his friend who was looking down into the floor, focusing on the beat, nodding along with it. Himchan then put his hands on the strings and started playing. He didn’t really play a melody or tune as such, just chords changing in a pattern. The beat came to an end and Himchan signaled for Yongguk to replay it. This time Himchan put down a rhythm as well, pouring his soul into the music he made. Yongguk thought he looked like a star. Himchan was a born talent. It was a beautiful sight.

 

“Jung Daehyun!” a voice yelled, ripping Daehyun back to reality mercilessly. In front of him stood Jongup with a concerned look on his face. He was close. Too close. All too close. An indescribable want to lean forward - just a little bit - and capture the younger boy's lips came over him. But he couldn’t. That would be wrong.  
‘Are you ok?’ Jongup seemed to ask him quietly. Daehyun wanted him. Not just physically, but his heart as well. Who wouldn’t want a heart like that? Daehyun became all too aware of the tightness in his pants. Flashbacks of his fantasy washed over him in strong waves and Daehyun found himself heating up. He couldn't believe he had fantasized about his new friend.   
"I-I..." He managed to stammer. He was trying to get anything out of his mouth, but he was unable to get any sound across his lips. Jongup was so so close. And Daehyun wanted him even closer. Without his knowledge, hands were reaching out for the dancer. Daehyun managed to become aware, just before they reached Jongup's arms. His eyes widened slightly and he spun around. He turned around in mortification and fled the room. Just as he was sure he had escaped the dancer and he considered slowing down, Daehyun felt an arm around his waist. It felt even better in reality.   
"Daehyun?" Jongup questioned uncertainly. The younger tugged slightly at Daehyun, silently asking him to turn around. Who was Daehyun to deny his crush that? Daehyun's heart was beating hard in his chest as he slowly turned around. He avoided Jongup's eyes completely, too embarrassed to really look at him. He wanted him badly. Much more than he had first thought. He wanted to be closer. He wanted to touch. He wanted to kiss. His whole body was yearning for Jongup's everything. Daehyun remembered anatomy classes in high school. He had been taught how the skin of the lips was where the skin was the thinnest on the body. Sensations on the lips would go straight to the nerves. Jongup's lips came closer. They looked plumb. Closer. Delicious. Closer. Slightly dry. Closer. Parted. Daehyun kissed him. 

Jongup stood still. Frozen in his spot he watched as Daehyun darted out of the room. His lips were tingling. He had known that Daehyun liked him. The boy was too obvious not to notice. Daehyun was always eating. Always. Just not when he was around. If that wasn't enough indication, everything in Daehyun's body language screamed attraction. The kiss though. The kiss had taken him by surprise. Everything about Daehyun's body had screamed a need of being closer and more intimate towards him, but also it had shouted fear and a dire need to run. Nothing had told him a kiss was coming his way. Nothing. Jongup facepalmed. It was kind of his own fault. He had stopped up to the boy when he had an erection. He had a feeling it was because of him Daehyun had it. Everything in Daehyun's behavior favored that.  _Things are going to be so awkward_. Jongup thought to himself before his thoughts drifted back to the kiss. Daehyun's lips had felt soft.

Youngjae really didn't like Victoria. She was asking questions without end. She was invading his privacy. She was trying to get closer to him when all he wanted to do was to lay in his bed and think about recent events. But no. He had to keep the 'sweet' Victoria company. Youngjae had this nagging feeling that she had another agenda than just getting to know him. It definitely wasn't just for the fun of it. If it had just been genuine interest, then it might have been so bad.  
"You're awfully quiet," she commented. Youngjae nodded in agreement. He was very well aware. He wasn't going to tell her he was talkative once he trusted people.  
"You're supposed to take over your dad's company. It involves talking to people to make deals. How are you going to handle that?" She asked him, seemingly innocent. Youngjae didn't buy her act and internally groaned. Why couldn't she just stay away? He was already having enough on his mind with joining Yongguk and his group. That alone would disappoint his parents. It was the first time he did something behind their backs.   
"I talk when it comes to business. Seeing we have no business to conduct and I only do this for the mere pleasure of my parents, I have no reason to talk to you," Youngjae told her, laying the truth out for her. He hated coating things with sugar.   
"Ah, but we will have dealings in the future. I am to inherit my parents' company and you yours," Victoria countered.   
"Yes. At that time we will talk business with one another and nothing more. I like to keep business and private life separated. I don't want to make the same mistakes as my father," Youngjae told her. His father was insanely strict and he had extreme expectations for him. If Youngjae ever got a kid, he would  _never_  treat them like he had been treated by his own parents.  
"What mistakes has your father made?" Victoria asked. Youngjae caught on to how curious she was. She wasn't good at keeping her curiosity out of her voice.  
"He's done many. But none I'd tell you. You'd tell these things to your own parents. I'm not going to tattle on my parents. Just know, I think they made mistakes," Youngjae waved her off. He had a feeling on her intentions. She was out for dirt on his family. That didn't seem to throw off Victoria, or she acted completely oblivious to it. She was raised by businessmen just like Youngjae. She kept a facade nicely. However, a small smile broke out on her face.  
"You're a very sharp and intelligent person, Yoo Youngjae," she complimented him.  
"Likewise, Miss Song," he replied to her compliment. He wanted to make sure she got the hidden message. He wanted nothing to do with her. The look in her eyes told Youngjae she did. Victoria stood up from her seat on the couch and smoothed out her dress. It was tight and short as always. Youngjae didn't even bat a lash at her attempt at seducing him.  
"I hope you change your mind. I want to get to you, Youngjae," she told him. "Of course, we still have plenty of time to reach that point," she added without hesitation. She smiled. One of those smiles that could lure in most men with just a peek. Youngjae was immune.  
"I'm not sure if I agree. The business talks will be over at a point not too far into the future. After that, we will have nothing to discuss," Youngjae told her with a smile matching hers. With no malice between them, they said their goodbyes and Youngjae closed the door behind her. He went through the room in which he had had Victoria and continued into his bedroom. He flopped onto the bed, diving into the fluffy masses of his blankets. She had been talking about marriage. There was no doubt. His parents hadn't told him exactly why they wanted him to keep her company, he had figured it. He was certain they were making a plan on how to merge their businesses with their marriage. He had figured it out. The hints Victoria gave him only confirmed them. Youngjae sighed. He had to do something. It was about time he used all his skills to save himself.  _The only way they'll let me live is if I trick them into signing a piece of paper. The only way they will let me be, is if it's on paper_.

Zelo was hiding in his room. His parents weren't home yet but they could be there any second. It was better to be out of the way before the arguing would start. If he was seen, he would be in the shooting range and his dad would see him as a moving target. His thoughts wandered to the five people he had joined. It was weird. Five people accepted him. Himchan was acting like the mother he never had. He even gave him a cell phone. He took his phone out of his pocket and looked at it. It looked rather fancy. He had seen others at school with a phone like this. He had seen them playing on them in class, sending texts to each other. He had always been jealous of the phones and the abilities that followed with one. Now he had one. Himchan had given him one. It felt weird. Part of him was afraid it was all just a joke. A very well-thought one. It didn't feel like it was one though. Himchan looked earnest. He felt like Himchan understood him in a way no one else did. For once in his life, he felt what it was like to be understood. At least he felt like he was being understood. It was as if Himchan knew everything he had been through and wanted to help. To him, he was one person. To others, he was different. A completely different person. A cocky person. Himchan was nice when he was with him. Zelo liked him. He unlocked the phone and went to see his contacts. There they were. He stared at the two names in wonder. Himchan and Yongguk. Yongguk had said MamaChan. Zelo smiled slightly. He wouldn't mind if Himchan became his mother instead of his own. For once, Zelo felt like there was something else in life than bleak darkness.  
The slam of the front door made Zelo flinch. He dropped his phone onto the floor but made no move to pick it up.   
"...sure you make enough money to buy my beers!" he heard his father's voice fighting its way through the apartment.  
"I'm sorry. I really am. It won't happen again, ever," his mother's fragile voice sounded right after. Cupboards were slammed in the kitchen and he could hear his father search the shelves. Zelo knew he was looking for alcohol. Glass shattered against the wall to his room. Zelo was almost convinced it had almost gone through the wall. His mother was begging his father to stop. She was powerless and crying in desperation. He could hear his father stumble into the living room, opening the bar cabinet. A sound of empty bottles clinking together was playing all the way into Zelo's room. A bottle rolled over the floor and Zelo closed his eyes. He knew what was coming. The painful sound of skin against skin was heard, followed by an ear-piercing scream of pain from his mother. Screaming and yelling were broken by more glass and porcelain being broken against walls. Zelo knew it was all aimed at his mother.  
A silence settled over the apartment but Zelo knew what was coming. It was the quiet before the storm. He quickly covered his ears, picked up his phone and climbed onto his bed. He had only managed to cover his head with his pillow before muffled moans were heard. It was disgusting. He wanted to get out of the apartment. Trying to keep the pillow around his ears, he fumbled to unlock his phone. He opened the contact app and pressed Himchan's name. Another loud moan was heard and he pressed the phone to his ear. Every part of Zelo hoped the older boy would answer.   
"Hello?" Himchan's voice sounded through the phone. It was like his prayer had been heard. Himchan had actually picked up. "Zelo? Is that you? Are you in trouble? Where are you? Are you okay?" Himchan asked rapidly when Zelo didn't answer. Zelo swallowed thickly before he managed to find the words.  
"I don't want to be here," he whispered into the microphone on his new phone.   
"I'll come get you, sweetie," Himchan told him softly. There was no hesitation. It was a statement and it was there promptly. Zelo felt forever thankful. "Are you home?" he asked and Zelo nodded. He had bobbed his head twice before he realized Himchan couldn't' see him. He muttered a small 'yes' and he heard Himchan rustle on the other end of the phone.   
"I'll be there in fifteen minutes. Tops. Hang on until I get there, okay? I'll run," he promised and Zelo nodded again. He quickly provided a small 'okay' to the older boy. The phone beeped soon after and Zelo recognized Himchan had hung up. He was coming for him. 

"Let's go, Bbang," Himchan told Yongguk as he hung up on his phone. He was already half way out the door with his guitar when Yongguk got up from the chair. "Hurry up. And bring your wallet!" Himchan shouted to Yongguk as he opened the door to Yongnam's room. He placed the guitar on the stand from where Yongnam had taken it earlier and rushed back outside to see Yongguk with his wallet.  
"Why do I need my wallet?" He asked as they went to the front door, already shrugging on their coats and shoes.   
"Because I don't have any on me, and we are going to need to buy some alcohol," Himchan replied.   
"Why?" was all Yongguk managed to ask before Himchan was out the door.  
"Because we are going to need it. I'll pay you back, Bbang. Just please do this for me," Himchan pleaded as he set off in a run. He heard Yongguk right behind him. They were heading for Zelo's apartment.   
"Of course, I'll do it for you. I was just wondering why?" Yongguk said as he caught up with Himchan. Himchan smiled in return. Half way to the apartment complex, Himchan stopped outside a small convenience store. Himchan pushed through the doors, grabbed a basket and headed towards the section with drinks. He took several different bottles of alcohol ranging from beer to vodka. Once they had paid for it, Yongguk grabbed the six-pack of beer and Himchan carried a bottle of vodka in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other. They started running again until they reached the street in which Zelo lived.   
"You still haven't told me why," Yongguk panted as he tried to keep up with Himchan. How they had managed to run for 10 minutes straight was a wonder to Yongguk. He hated running.   
"You'll see," Himchan answered just as breathlessly. He reached for the door to the stairway where Zelo lived. He jumped up the stairs, two steps at the time. He reached the right doorway before Yongguk and pushed the doorbell.  
"Damn, you're fast," Yongguk panted as he came up to the landing, standing next to Himchan. Himchan tripped nervously from side to side. The door was opened and a half-dressed man appeared in the door. Himchan scoffed at his state of undress. Obviously he was sweaty, clearly caught fucking. Himchan almost keeled backward at the distinct smell of alcohol coming from the apartment too.  
"What?!" the man demanded to know before Himchan could do as much as blinking.   
"Mr. Choi," Himchan greeted him politely. "We've come to get Junhong," he told him. The man didn't seem pleased.  
"Fuck off," he spat and tried to close the door. Himchan wasn't having any of it. At least, he could say he had tried the polite approach. He put his foot down in the doorway, blocking the man from closing it. "What do you think you're doing?" Mr. Choi asked, raising his voice even more.  
"I said, we are here to get Junhong," Himchan replied calmly once more. He pushed the door open with little difficulty considering the size of Mr. Choi. It wasn't hard to imagine where Zelo got his height from.  
"Bbang, go get Zelo. I'll take care of this," he muttered to the friend behind. Yongguk slipped past the both of them, Himchan skillfully blocking Mr. Choi from getting his hands on Yongguk and got the six-pack from his friend on the way.  
"Get the fuck out my home!" Mr. Choi yelled as Himchan clamped down on his wrist, successfully keeping him from reaching Yongguk's shirt.  
"We've brought you a gift as a show of our gratitude for letting us borrow Junhong for a while," Himchan told him calmly. He held up the six-pack and raised the bottle of vodka too. The bottle seemed to calm Mr. Choi down slightly. Yongguk left the two to search for Zelo. 

Yongguk was searching the apartment for Zelo. He knew why they had needed the alcohol. The fact they needed alcohol had worried him, but how Himchan knew they needed the alcohol was beyond him. He wasn't just worried for Junhong anymore, but for his new friend too. Yongguk entered the living room, keeling backward at the sight. A woman old enough to be his own mother laid naked on the dinner table. She was panting and that was the only sign of life Yongguk needed before he averted his gaze to search for Zelo instead. Luck seemed to shine on his path. He found the boy's room immediately and pushed the door open.   
"Hey there," he greeted the younger when he entered. He found Zelo huddled up on his bed, pillow pressed against his ears. He was obviously trying to keep out all sounds. Yongguk didn't blame him. His parents had been fucking on the table just outside his door. "Let's get you out of here," Yongguk suggested with a soft smile. Zelo looked up at him and slowly removed the pillow. Zelo seemed pleased to find the apartment free of moaning. He stood up and had only found his balance before muffled yelling and a slam was heard from the entrance. Yongguk forgot everything about helping Zelo out and spun on his spot and rushed to the hallway. Yongguk knew what he was about to see wasn't going to be pretty, but seeing Himchan unable to reach the floor, pressed up against the wall and only held up by his collar lit a fire in Yongguk's veins. Mr. Choi raised a hand about to slap Himchan. Yongguk didn't even think. He saw red and Mr. Choi was going to  _die._


	15. Chapter Fifteen

Himchan was losing his patience. He only knew too well how drunk assholes act and Zelo's father was no excuse. Zelo's father was even less of an excuse. Himchan had no emotional tie to the man. No warm memories, no hurt feelings, no anything of those sorts. And Mr. Choi had him pinned to the wall and was about to strike him. Himchan noticed Yongguk appearing in the hallway too and he lost it. He pushed Mr. Choi away and used the skills he had picked up from a commercial a couple of years back to get the man off. He was pissed and kind of fuming. Within a couple of seconds, Himchan was pressing between the bones of Mr. Choi's wrists. The man was wailing in pain, lowering himself onto his knees in surrender to the pain. Himchan snorted. He didn't understand why people behaved like assholes when they couldn't stand up for themselves. Why couldn't they just be nice? Zelo wouldn't have turned out to be like he was if his parents had treated him right. He wouldn't be cowering in fear with every person he met. It wasn't _fair_! He came to think of his own parents. If they had been nice people, he wouldn't have had to work tirelessly to pay bills for two apartments, alcohol, and drugs for both of his parents. They would have lived in one apartment. A nicer apartment. Himchan would've had a bed. His parents would have been taking care of him. Cared for him. Instead, he got a handful of shit and bags under his eyes. He subconsciously pressed harder on Mr. Choi's wrist. He whined pathetically and the sound brought Himchan back to his senses. The world wasn't fair, but it wasn't fair for Mr. Choi to pay for Himchan's parents' faults. And it wasn't fair for Zelo to watch his father being mauled by a kid.   
"Let's go," Himchan told Yongguk and Zelo. They were still standing in the doorway when they nodded and walked around Mr. Choi. Himchan held the door open for the others while keeping Mr. Choi in check with his hold on his wrist. Only when both Yongguk and Zelo were out safe did Himchan release him. He closed the door softly behind him. Yongguk's face was pulled into a firm mask of anger. Himchan eyed him carefully but didn't say anything. He was waiting for Yongguk to start. Instead, he focused on getting the three of them out of the building and onto the street.   
"Anyone wanna go for an ice cream?" Himchan asked. Yongguk wasn't going to break the silence, and Zelo huddled behind them but nodded instantly at the suggestion.   
"Sure," Yongguk agreed, pulling his lips into a smile. Himchan released a soft sigh of relief when the anger disappeared from the folds around Yongguk's eyes and from his eyebrows.  
"Good, 'cause you're paying," Himchan reminded him with a mischievous smirk. Yongguk's face contorted in disbelief and his eyes zeroed in on Himchan.   
"What?"   
"No wallet," Himchan excused himself and slowed down to link his arm with Zelo's.

Youngjae was juggling numbers in his head. He was doing his math homework without a calculator. He didn't have to, but he liked the feeling of accomplishment he felt when he was right, and it sharpened his brain. The calculator was too annoying at times too. It was slower and so confusing really. He wasn't really keen on admitting his problem to anyone, but he used his calculator for the more simple calculations. After juggling with trigonometry, calculus and all that other stuff in his head, 'nine minus ten' was just incomprehensible. He could use five minutes on something like. He furrowed his brows as he finished the last calculations and wrote down the answer to the problem. He reached for his cup of coffee but found it empty. Raising his hand, he called for a waiter and asked for a refill. The waiter nodded and returned with a new cup of steaming life.   
A soft tingle from the bell above the door caught Youngjae's attention. He looked up from his homework to see who it was. His eyes widened slightly as he recognized Himchan and his two friends.   
"Yongguk-Hyung, Himchan-Hyung, Zelo-ah," he called out in surprise. The three in question turned toward him. Three very different smiles were directed at him along with a wave from Yongguk. He watched them as they went towards the counter, placed their orders, and waited for Yongguk to pay. Youngjae couldn't help but smile in amusement as the oldest paid for them all - obviously reluctantly. Youngjae began to put away his books when the small group approached his booth and slipped into the seats. Zelo sat in front of him, and Himchan slid in next to him and Yongguk next to Youngjae.   
"What are you doing here?" Himchan asked.   
"Math homework," Youngjae replied and nodded towards his backpack. "I couldn't stand being at home while doing it," He elaborated and Yongguk nodded in understanding. Himchan hummed in reply. "What about you guys?" Youngjae asked the three of them.   
"Well, Zelo here needed to get out, and Yongguk here offered to buy us ice cream. And who were we to resist a generous offer like that?" Himchan answered. Youngjae didn't buy it but smiled nonetheless. Himchan's smile was infectious when he smiled at Yongguk. Yongguk, on the other hand, stuck his tongue out at Himchan and pouted. Youngjae cracked in laughter at the otherwise wannabe tough guy acting like a kid. He hadn't seen Yongguk act like that since they talked back in high school. He had been more like a patient dad or something.   
The ice cream the others had ordered arrived and Youngjae took a sip of his coffee as the desserts were handed out to the respective person. Youngjae craved a cookie. He contemplated ordering one but his parents had told him he was getting chubby and should cut down on sweets. He had decided to lay off the cookies and cakes for a while. In the meantime he kept himself on track by repeating his parents' words; 'Being slender shows health and therefore leaves a better impression on the people'. Himchan and Yongguk indulged themselves in a conversation about a music project and Youngjae found himself looking at the youngest member of the group. He was silently eating his ice cream, trying not to capture too much attention. He was a cute boy. Though his eyes were downcast most of the time, Youngjae caught a glance of them and they were pretty. Zelo had a very young face. He was in general both cute and pretty. His cheeks were the best. His best feature. Youngjae could imagine them pulled into a smile. He had seen him smile just before. It wasn't a real smile, though. It was more of a contraction of muscles that could appear to lean towards a smile. Youngjae imagined his smile to be beautiful. Zelo was an attractive boy. Well, Youngjae would think so if he was a girl. Not now. He was a boy.  _Wait, why am I defending myself like this?_  Youngjae thought to himself.  _Zelo is an attractive guy. A guy can say that. Youngjae, you just need a cookie_. He was arguing with himself. It was impossible. He thought about the cookies again. They made some lovely cookies in that café. He ended up giving in. His excuse; had started dancing.   
"Oh my god! I'm so sorry, Bbang!" Himchan exclaimed, gaining Youngjae's attention again. A big spoonful of ice cream was splattered nicely in Yongguk's face. The face behind the ice cream looked rather unpleased with the situation. Youngjae couldn't help but laugh and saw that Himchan was doing the same while telling Yongguk he was sorry.  
"Great job, Chan. I told you that you shouldn't wave your spoon around like that," Yongguk reprimanded a chuckling Himchan.  
"I know, I'm sorry, Bbang," Himchan apologized again and wiped some ice cream off Yongguk's face with a napkin.  
"Forget it, I'll go wash it off," Yongguk said, waving off Himchan's hand.  
"I'll help you," Himchan offered and jumped up, telling Yongguk that there would be no use of protesting. Youngjae was amazed. Himchan wasn't exactly known for taking care of people at their school. Least of all Yongguk. He had seen them fight before but he had been proven that there was another side to Himchan during the weekend.   
"Zelo, dear, I'll be right back. Youngjae will take care of you, don't worry," Himchan told Zelo with a comforting smile. Youngjae turned his attention to Himchan again and found himself on the receiving end of one of his  _looks_. Youngjae nodded in confirmation. He had been told to watch the younger boy, and Youngjae didn't dare go against orders from Himchan.  
Despite not wanting to defy Himchan's order, Youngjae had no qualms about rolling his eyes at them as they went to the bathroom. He focused on Zelo right after. To his surprise, Zelo looked more uncomfortable now and a silence settled between them. Youngjae didn't really know how to handle that look.   
"How old are you?" Youngjae asked. He mentally hit himself for being so direct and inconsiderate, but Zelo had a really young and pretty face.  
"Nineteen," Zelo muttered as an answer. Youngjae nodded as an indication he had heard the reply. He replied with an almost silent 'okay'.  
"You're really pretty," Youngjae said absentmindedly. "I really like your cheeks," he continued and Zelo's face changed from healthy warm to crimson in a heartbeat. Upon noticing the change of color in Zelo's cheeks, Youngjae realized what he had said and his face reddened equally. "I-I-I'm sorry. I wasn't supposed to say that out loud," he stuttered out embarrassed.   
Luckily, Himchan and Yongguk returned with their presence, the latter being ice cream free. Youngjae internally sighed in relief. Now he wouldn't say stupid things out loud anymore.   
"What's with the red faces?" Yongguk asked curiously. Youngjae didn't really know how to answer and provided Yongguk with mumbled half answers that didn't really make sense.   
"What?" Yongguk asked confused while Youngjae continued to mumble.   
"Drop it, Bbang. We aren't getting it out of them. Maybe later when I've worked my magic on them," Himchan told Yongguk and ate the last of his melted ice cream. Yongguk laughed and Youngjae looked at Himchan puzzled.  _Work his magic on them?_

Himchan was quiet while he, Zelo, and Yongguk walked down the busy streets towards Yongguk's place. Yongguk was going on about a rapper called Dumbfoundead, who apparently was really good and he wanted Zelo to listen to his stuff. Himchan was watching the two every once in a while he let himself dwell on his thoughts. He had to figure out where to bring Zelo. He couldn't let Zelo go home after they had picked him up and he had brought his father to his knees. He couldn't bring him to his own place either. His parents were no better than Zelo's.   
"Bbang? Can we sleep at your place tonight?" He asked, interrupting Yongguk's monolog. Yongguk blinked a couple of times, obviously surprised by the sudden question. Apparently, he had been so surprised he wasn't looking where he was going and bumped into a man. Yongguk apologized profusely while Himchan chuckled to himself and placed a comforting hand on Zelo's shoulder. The youngest looked like he was about to be beaten for something Yongguk had done, and Himchan couldn't blame him.  
"I'll ask my mom," Yongguk told them and took his phone out of his pocket. As Yongguk started typing, Himchan turned to Zelo.  
"You looked like you didn't want to go home. My place isn't the best place to be at the moment so I thought we could ask Bbang," Himchan explained to Zelo and the younger nodded thankfully. With the phone pocketed again, Yongguk continued his monolog again, this time about Rick Ross and his beats. A sound interrupted him and he pulled out his phone to check the message. Yongguk told them they were allowed to stay the night as long as it didn't get too late. Himchan smiled thankfully. He would have to thank Miss Bang once they arrived. He had to drop off the other two first. He had to go home and give his parents their money.  
"I have to go for a while though. I have to run some errands at home before I forget," Himchan told them once Zelo and Yongguk had crossed the doorstep.   
"Alright, we will go with you," Yongguk announced. Himchan had to prevent that from happening. He shook his head, probably a little too quickly to be convincing.  
"No. You can stay here. It'll be an hour or less. Take care of Zelo for me. He has had a tough day," he told Yongguk. The latter looked at him, eyes narrowed slightly but nodded nonetheless. Himchan smiled thankfully at Yongguk and gave a comforting smile to Zelo. He turned around and hoped today was the day he wouldn't get hit by his father. He couldn't manage to cover up a bruise up without Yongguk noticing the makeup.

Jongup stood before his parents in his room. He was telling them about practice and how hard his new friends worked. He was very proud of them. His parents were watching his every move, absorbing everything that he said in his silent language. When Jongup reached the part about after practice, he paused and conveyed his uncertainty in telling them that part.  
"You don't have to tell us anything you don't want to, sweetie," his mother told him with a soft smile. Jongup told his parents that he himself didn't know how to react, but something happened with the guy who stayed to get some extra practice.  
"Now you've got me curious. What happened, seeing as you are so unsure?" his mom asked while both parents scooted forwards in excitement. Jongup weighed his uncertainty and wondered just how much he should tell. He bit his lower lip, giving it a small nibble before he continued telling about what had happened. He told them about how Daehyun had spaced out. He told them how hard he was to bring back to reality. He avoided telling about the boy's erection. He skipped to the part where he had finally gotten Daehyun's attention again. He told how it had been necessary to yell at him to get his attention. He told about how Daehyun's body language had been. His parents were on the edge of the bed in excitement.  
"He kissed me," Jongup said out loud. His parents' faces changed from excitement to shock. His dad silently told him to continue. "And then he ran away," he finished. Jongup would have laughed as both of his parents' heads tilted to the side in wonder if it hadn't been for his own tenseness about the topic.  
"Why?" his mother asked, voicing out the question all of them had been thinking. Jongup shrugged his shoulders. He didn't know. He wanted to know that himself.   
"So, how was it?" both of them asked simultaneously. One did so quietly, the other out loud. Jongup raised his brow in question.   
"The kiss?" his mother elaborated. "Was it nice? Dreadful? Okay? Should it happen again or was it a one-time thing?" she asked, helping Jongup on his way.  
"Soft," he answered. He added that he had recently met the guy and they didn't know each other all that well. He would need time. His parents nodded and his father told him to tell them when he figured out what he wanted. Jongup smiled. He liked how understanding and supportive his parents were. He nodded to his father, letting him know he was going to do that. With that, Jongup walked away from the spot in his room and sat down by the window. He wanted to think about the kiss again. It was making his lips tingle.  
Behind him, he could hear his parents sneak out of the room. Jongup knew they had understood he wanted some time to himself. He scanned the streets and spotted a lone figure walking up the sidewalk. Aside from that, it was deserted. Not many came to the street, despite it being one of the poorest areas of the city if not the poorest. Looking closer, Jongup recognized the person. It was Himchan. The walk. The Clothes. Everything about him was Himchan. Confused, he focused on the figure. Himchan was rich. At least he walked, talked, and clothed himself like that. Plus, he knew he had a modeling job. He should have plenty of money. What was he doing there?

Yongguk woke by a slap to the face, making him jerk out of dreamland. He opened his eyes and saw what was the outline of a hand on his face. He couldn't feel his right leg aside from the firm squeeze around the thigh. He couldn't feel it from the knee and down.   
"Curse you, Kim Himchan," he muttered and received a sigh in answer. Himchan was waking up and appeared to be too comfortable.   
"You say something?" he asked, voice hoarse with sleep.  
"Your hand is in my face," Yongguk said, hoping that would make his new friend move it. He didn't feel like removing it himself. It was cold outside the blanket, and his arms were nestled comfortably against his body.  
"Yeah," Himchan sighed in confirmation but made no move to remove it from the older's face.   
"Chan, that was your cue to remove it," Yongguk told him and moved his jaw around in hopes it would make the hand disappear. "And while you're at it, let go of my leg. You've strangled it," he added.   
"So demanding," Himchan complained. "Can't I just stay like this a little while longer? My bed at home isn't as good as this," Himchan replied. Yongguk thought his ears were failing him because it sounded like Himchan was  _begging._ It made Yongguk's heart soften slightly.  
"Fine, just move your hand a little bit so you're not about to dig for gold in my nostril, and please loosen your hold on my leg just a little. I need blood back with my foot," Yongguk pleaded softly. Himchan sighed and moved his hand from Yongguk's face to his chest and loosened the death grip he had on his thigh. Blood came rushing back to Yongguk's leg. He was almost happy about it until the pain began. His leg hummed back to life and it hurt like shit. It was like thousands and thousands of needles were stabbed into his leg brutally. But even then, Yongguk made no move to do something about it. He was content despite the prickling. A little rustling from the bed beside them signaled the waking of Zelo. Yongguk and Himchan had slept on the floor and Zelo had the bed. They had wanted Zelo to sleep on the bed, and Yongguk had offered Himchan to sleep with him, but Zelo had frozen up at the idea and Himchan had immediately declined and taken the floor along with Yongguk. Yongguk was amazed by Himchan's heart. He would pick a worn out mattress on the floor over the bed because he wanted Zelo to be comfortable.  
"Guys, it's time for you to get up," Mrs. Bang's voice was heard through the door followed by a couple of gentle knocks. As if on cue, the three boys groaned in dissatisfaction.

The day passed in a blur. Yongguk and Himchan were sitting in detention once again.  
"Your relationship has improved quite a lot. I deem you have sorted out your differences now. This is the last time you will have in detention," the teacher told the pair. They kept straight faces but both of them were mentally celebrating. There were in a classroom with nothing but chairs, tables and the three of them. No decorations and nothing to do. "But, if I hear as much as a chirp about you two fighting again, you'll be back here instantly," he warned them. Yongguk nodded and turned to smile at Himchan, seeing him do the same. "Now, get out of here so I can go home too," their teacher shooed them off and the two happily grabbed their stuff and did exactly that.  
"Your place? We can finish the last details on our project?" Himchan suggested once they reached the gates.  
"I find that to be a good idea," Yongguk answered and they walked side by side towards Yongguk's house.   
They talked, they laughed, and they made fun of each other as they walked. Yongguk got a warm feeling in his chest as they joked around and insulted each other in a way only best friends could. Reaching home, Yongguk tried the door but found it locked. Weird. He fished out his keys, fumbled with them a bit before he finally dropped them. He cursed himself and bent down to pick up the bundle. He had only grazed the bundle with his fingers before he found himself pushed. He yelped and flapped his arms for balance but found himself on the way into the bush next to the front door in no time. He felt Himchan's hands on his arm, trying to keep him up, but it was no help. Both of them fell into the bush, landing there with exclaims of displeasure. Yongguk opened his eyes and looked straight up into Himchan's. They were on the ground between the bushes and he had a branch pressing into his back. It wasn't comfortable, but he didn't have any dire need to move. He had an indescribable want to just lay there and stare into Himchan's eyes. They were captivating. Enough to keep his focus from the pain in his back.  
"So, uh..." Himchan started, breaking the spell. "You're quite comfy," he joked with a teasing smile.   
"Get off me," Yongguk replied, smiling. He had to say it, even if he wished they could lay there a little longer.  
Fighting their way out of the bushes, the two got themselves into a standing position on the doorstep. Yongguk dropped to get the keys on the pavement again. Himchan, apparently, had had the same idea. They looked at one another in surprise, faces merely centimeters from one another. They stared at one another. Yongguk was completely frozen and couldn't move. Not until Himchan cleared his throat, grabbed the keys and stood up. The moment was destroyed and Yongguk was able to move once again. He stood up and took the bundle of keys from his friend. He unlocked the door without dropping them.  
"Sorry," Himchan apologized but neither of them moved. Once again, Yongguk found himself staring into Himchan's eyes. An indescribable want to get closer overwhelmed his body.


	16. Chapter Sixteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Explicit content

The front door opened behind Himchan's body and they stumbled through the door. Yongguk silently praised habits and practiced movements. He hadn't needed to break the kiss he shared with the other to open the door. Yongguk could feel Himchan's fingers in his hair, tugging harshly at his strands whenever he demanded a change in position. The rest of Himchan's body was pressed as firmly against Yongguk's own as they possibly could be. Yongguk's arms were wrapped tightly around Himchan's body, hands leaving no part untouched or unexplored. Himchan's back collided with the wall just inside the door and Yongguk kicked it shut. Himchan's hand wandered to his nape before they returned to his hair, pulling harshly. Yongguk was pushed backward, turned around and his back hit the wall instead. They were pushing, pulling, tugging, and pressing at one another. They collided with every surface on their way, moaning into the space between them. Yongguk had nothing on mind but Himchan in his arms and making it to his bedroom before anyone else would arrive home. Yongguk pushed Himchan against a table. A glass of water tipped over but none of them cared. Himchan pushed back and Yongguk pulled a framed picture to the floor as he collided with the wall. They parted momentarily to survey the damage. It wasn't anything Yongguk wanted to pay attention to.  
"Fuck this," he muttered before he pulled Himchan into another bruising kiss. Without further ado, Yongguk pulled Himchan to his bedroom. Before he managed to open the door, Himchan had him pinned against it. Yongguk couldn't really complain. Himchan's body was hot against his, their kiss was making his knees weak and he was already sure he would be bruised from his collision with the walls. It was nothing short of perfect. Yongguk vaguely heard Himchan fumbling with the doorknob over the pulsing of blood in his ears. If he had been anywhere close to his right mind and wasn't being kissed stupid by Himchan, he would probably have braced himself. He was being kissed stupid, and the impact of his stupidity could be felt when he collided with the floor, Himchan landing on top. It didn't put a stopper to their escapades and Yongguk reached for Himchan's shirt. He tugged it and pulled it up, patiently waiting for Himchan to allow him to remove the fabric. When Himchan sat up, Yongguk did the same and rid himself of his own shirt too. Himchan was straddling him and they resumed kissing laying halfway across the doorstep. Yongguk felt Himchan's hand on his belt and he broke the kiss to lay back down. Himchan needed the room to unbuckle the belt. Himchan failed and instead stood up. Yongguk mirrored the actions and worked his belt open himself. Himchan wrapped himself around the oldest's body and kissed him deeply once more. Yongguk furrowed his brows to keep track on their kiss while he undressed first himself and then his friend. They were left in boxers only before Yongguk pressed Himchan into his bed. Yongguk didn't hesitate before he crawled on top and placed his lips on Himchan's flawless skin. He sucked on patches of skin, licked his way to the next and kissed spots that made Himchan's breath hitch. Himchan's back arched beneath him and his fingers couldn't really decide whether they wanted to be in Yongguk's hair or hold on to the sheets. Yongguk had only managed a few love bites before Himchan flipped him over for dominance. Yongguk's hands were pinned above his head and Himchan was panting heavily against his lips. They weren't kissing but Yongguk only had to lift his chin to connect their lips. He didn't. Himchan's eyes dared him to do anything. It sent a shiver down Yongguk's spine. Himchan's dominance was so fucking hot. The younger placed both of Yongguk's wrists in one hand and only then did Yongguk realize how strong Himchan's fingers were. He had a death grip on his wrists and it had Yongguk's hips buck upwards. Himchan was too hot to handle. Himchan smirked. He had yet to touch the rapper aside from the hold on his wrist and Yongguk was already falling apart beneath him. Himchan's free hand started in the center of Yongguk's chest and slowly traveled downward. Yongguk's breath hitched at the sensation of Himchan's fingertips ghosting over his abs and along the hem of his boxers. Himchan hooked a finger into the elastic band and Yongguk's breathing stopped altogether. Much to Yongguk's disappointment he pulled his finger out again and instead brushed it across his bulge through the fabric. Yongguk was aching to be touched. He groaned with impatience and bucked up to get more of the feeling. Himchan smirked at him but complied and pulled his boxers down to his knees. Yongguk was hissing at the hold on his length. He was impossibly hard and curved slightly towards his stomach. He looked up at Himchan, wanting to tell him to get a move on but seeing Himchan looking him,  _watching_  him so intensely had his lips sealed. Himchan looked like he was starving for his dick and said organ twitched at the thought. Himchan finally set into move, hand closing around his length and gave him a few experimental tugs. It felt like heaven. Himchan's hand was perfect and the only thing wrong was how impossibly close Yongguk came with just a few flicks of Himchan's wrist. His whole body tensed, thighs shaking as he approached his orgasm. It was embarrassing but he couldn't do anything about it. He was too far gone to ask Himchan to stop. He would have to help Himchan afterward. Himchan tightened his hand around his length and twisted his hand just the way Yongguk liked it and let go.  
"Fuck!" Yongguk exclaimed as he sat up, annoyance burning in his every fiber. He wanted to grab Himchan and make him make him cum. He had been so close. Only problem was, Himchan was gone. It was like his friend had finished into thin air. Looking around the room for his friend, Yongguk's eyes landed on the digital clock on his nightstand. It was too close to morning. He had dreamt it. Yongguk rubbed his face and looked down himself. He was still wearing his boxers and the blanket was halfway covering him. For a moment, Yongguk contemplated going back to sleep for the last five minutes before his alarm would sound but the throb between his thighs changed his mind. He slipped a hand into his boxers, closed his eyes and imagined the remaining few seconds of his dream, building on it and ended up with Himchan sucking him off before he spilled his release into the fabric of his boxers.  
He felt dirty. He had just masturbated to the thought of his best friend sucking him off. He was disgusting.   
 _What is happening to me?_

“You look like shit, Hyung,” Daehyun commented when Yongguk met him at the school gates.  
"That's better than I had feared," came Yongguk's reply. “I’ve had one hell of a morning,” he told Daehyun and his thoughts went back to the dream. Himchan had been... _no! No, no, no, no, no! No, I am not about to think about that_. Yongguk scolded himself and attempted to shake off every thought of Himchan and his dream.  
“Yongguk-Hyung! Stop spacing out,” Daehyun’s voice cut through his thoughts. He was too far gone to have a productive day.  
“Sorry,” he apologized with a guilty smile.  
“Whatever man,” Daehyun waved him off. “I was just about to t-... I’m... I'm gonna go,” Daehyun informed his friend and sped off, leaving an already dazed Yongguk confused. Scratching his head, Yongguk shrugged his shoulders and just went to class, giving Jongup a wave across the school yard.

Music was blasting through the room where Zelo and Youngjae were dancing. They both had a class off and spent it on practicing Youngjae’s lacking dancing skills. Youngjae had initially asked Jongup to teach him, but the boy had declined as he had a load of homework to do. Jongup had suggested Zelo instead, and the two had gone off to find him. They had found the tall boy on his way to a dance studio with Himchan following him. Jongup had been the one to tell about the suggestion, and Zelo had agreed, even though he looked nervous and hesitant. The tall boy was totally different while dancing though. He was amazing. He spoke a language much like Jongup and Youngjae could honestly not keep up with that level. But he tried. Zelo was quiet and didn’t really say a word, just showed him the moves, repeating them when he didn’t do it right. Youngjae struggled but managed. And when he did something right, Zelo would smile at him and it was prettier than he had imagined. His cheeks were like cute little bubbles of happiness. Why am I thinking that? Youngjae asked himself, shook off those thoughts, and went back to focusing on his dance. He worked harder than he had ever worked on anything just to see that beautiful smile on his teacher’s baby face.  
The music stopped and Youngjae looked at the tall boy, hoping to get feedback on his dancing. Zelo smiled at him. It was one of approval and it was underlined with a firm nod. Youngjae mirrored the expression.  
"One last time," Zelo announced quietly. It was the first words he had spoken since Youngjae had met him that day. Youngjae nodded twice. The movement was fuelled by determination. He wanted to hear him speak again and he wanted to see him smile. Zelo had gone to start the music again and Youngjae was ready. He was so ready. Zelo placed himself next to Youngjae and held up his hand. As the music started, he began counting down on his fingers. When he reached zero, the two made their first moves and started dancing. Zelo's dance was perfect while Youngjae stumbled several times. He kept trying. It was physically hard and he needed to focus on the music as well as remembering the next step. Something made it worthwhile. A happy and satisfied bubble filled his chest as the two danced one last time and Zelo finished with a smile. 

“Yah, Bbang. Focus, will you?” Himchan complained and nudged the said person. Yongguk jumped slightly in surprise. Yongguk looked like shit, and he was well aware of that.  
“I know you’re busy fantasizing about my beautiful body, but please! Return to reality. I really want this piece to be perfect,” he continued, teasing as usual, though a tone of seriousness laced through his last sentence. Yongguk tried to do exactly that, but dream Himchan just wouldn’t leave him alone. Every thought seemed to lead to Himchan and the way they had kissed, how smooth the skin had been under his fingers, everything. It was just a dream, Yongguk had told himself countless times that day. It means nothing, he had repeated to himself but the image of a naked Himchan on was  _stuck_ in his head and some part of him _liked_ it.  
“Sorry. I’ve had a hell of a day and a really weird dream last night,” Yongguk apologized and the feel of Himchan’s lips in the dream came back to him. It had been arousing and perfect. He wondered how the real Himchan’s lips would taste. _I did not just think that!_  
“Yeah, yeah, I know. You dreamt about me naked. It’s okay. I can turn any guy gay,” Himchan teased his friend and gave him a wink. The truth of the statement made Yongguk’s face turn pink and he started stuttering out denials. Himchan must not have a clue how right he was with everything he had said. He must not have a clue how desperately right he was. He must not have a clue how desperate he made Yongguk. He must not have a clue how close to panicking Yongguk was.  
“Dude relax! I know you’re straight, don’t worry. Chill,” Himchan calmed him down but chuckled right after.  
“The way you’re reacting makes one think it was actually true,” Himchan continued teasing, while Yongguk denied and denied helplessly.  
“Bbang. Did you dream about me naked?” he asked in a mock-serious tone while Yongguk shook his head and wrung his hands nervously.  
“Ah," Himchan started doubtfully. "I didn’t think it would happen this early in our relationship. Curse my perfect face and body for being this attractive,” Himchan complained teasingly, his friend simply slammed his head down onto the desk to save himself from the further embarrassment of his red face.  
Collecting his nerves and, once again, pushing dream-Himchan far away, Yongguk raised his head again. Dream Himchan came back instantly at the sight of Himchan pouting his lips at him though.  
"Shall we go get-uh, a bass so we could-uh, you know, finish the piece?" Yongguk asked nervously while trying not to think of how dream-Himchan had peeled his shirt off while sitting on his crotch.  
"What's wrong with you today?" Himchan asked worriedly and put his head in hand, studying the boy beside him.  
 "Nothing. Let's just go," Yongguk answered and stood up from the table they were sitting at, grabbed the sheet of paper with their piece written down on it. Himchan gave him a look but followed along. He threw a casual arm around his friend’s shoulder when they stopped in front of the wall with all the guitars and bass’.  
“You know, Bbang,” Himchan started quietly in a deep voice next to Yongguk’s ear. The latter had goosebumps crawl down his back in restrained pleasure as his dream flashed before his eyes. “You should stop dreaming about me naked, or I’ll have to tell the whole school about even 'Gangster' Yongguk has fallen for the mighty Kim Himchan,” Himchan continued with a seducing voice before breaking into laughter. Yongguk stood stiff as a board and immobile with the reality of Himchan's words. He didn't move at all until Himchan clapped his back a couple of times. Himchan was still laughing and Yongguk felt the cruel reality crawl underneath his skin.  
“Oi Bbang. If you keep acting like that, I’m gonna start thinking you actually dreamt about me naked,” Himchan laughed, while Yongguk once again was reminded of dream-Himchan’s mouth around his cock.  
“Fuck off, man,” Yongguk shot back and shook off the vision. He had to focus.

Victoria laid naked in her bed and stared at her ceiling. She looked at her clock. There was still two and a half hour until her parents came with Youngjae and his parents. Not five minutes ago had she said goodbye to Siwon. He was nice. Abs, muscular body in general and really good in bed. But she was still frustrated. With a sigh, she got up and went to her desk to get her phone. Quickly she scrolled through her contacts until she found the guy she was looking for. Kim Jonghyun. He was short, but just looking at his body was a pleasure in itself. And Victoria needed sex. Again. Pressing the call button, she placed her phone against her ear.  
“Hello?” Jonghyun’s voice sounded through the speaker.  
“Jonghyun-oppa! I need you,” Victoria told him with a seductive voice.  
“Where are you?” Jonghyun asked in return and Victoria smiled.  
“At home,” she answered. She was going to get what she wanted.  
“I’ll be there in about fifteen minutes,” Jonghyun told her and Victoria smirked.  
“Thank you oppa,” she thanked him, seductive voice still in use, and hung up. She threw herself in her bed. It smelled of sex. Sex with Siwon to be more exact. It wouldn’t do that it smelled of sex when her parents came home. They were happy as long as she passed with flying colors in school, but they wouldn’t be happy with her... habit. Finding an oversized t-shirt that had been forgotten by Jonghyun about a month ago, she pulled it over her head and opened one of the doors out to the balcony. They wouldn’t have sex in her room. It needed to be perfect for when Youngjae came over. Shower sex was better. It was also where Jonghyun was best, for some reason. Victoria wasn’t complaining. Quite the contrary.  
The doorbell rang in the distance and Victoria exited her room, making her way downstairs to the entrance. Brushing her fingers through her hair, smoothing it out a little bit, she reached the door and opened it. Jonghyun was standing in the door with a smirk on his face.  
“You’re never satisfied are you?” he asked with a playful tone. She smiled back playfully.  
“How can I when my body calls for you?” she replied, grabbed his collar and pulled him inside, closing the door with her foot behind them. He pulled her in for a kiss which she gladly returned. It was pure lust. She broke free of the liplock and moved her mouth to his ear.  
“I feel so dirty,” she whispered seductively and gave his earlobe a lick.  
“We better clean you up then,” Jonghyun growled back and attacked her neck. Victoria moaned. Her lover had always had this fine sense for pleasurable spots.  
“Should we move this to somewhere more steamy?” Victoria suggested while Jonghyun nibbled on her ear. The boy removed his mouth from her ear and swept her off her feet. Carrying her in his arms as she nibbled on his profound jaw, Jonghyun carried them upstairs and into her bathroom. He had been here several times. As soon as he let her go, Victoria got her hands on his shirt and pulled it off, welcoming the sight of her lover’s sculpted body. She ghosted her hands over his abs and reached the buckle of his pants. Jonghyun moved his arms around her and grabbed a hold of her ass, giving it a squeeze while she unbuckled the belt. Victoria pulled his pants down and her lover stepped out of them while attacking the sensitive skin at the crook of her neck. His hands slid up underneath her t-shirt, leaving a burning trail in their wake.  
Reaching behind her, Victoria found the shower curtain. She fought her way past it and found what she was looking for. With a flick of her hand, she turned the faucet on. She had barely turned her attention to Jonghyun before her hands were forced upwards. He pulled the oversized t-shirt off and tossed it on the floor.  
"I think this belongs to me," he muttered against her neck while Victoria's hands pulled at his boxers. She followed the fabric down, ending on her knees and with her face at level with his crotch. He was already hard. She usually didn't do this twice in a day but Youngjae was making her frustrated with his attitude.


	17. Chapter Seventeen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Promise there are no more surprise naughty dreams coming. I was cringing while reading it all through for mistakes... like why? xDD   
> ~MastressTickleBack

Yongguk was nodding to the beat. He was sitting in the recording booth at college and watched Himchan next to him. They were both keeping quiet, the recorder already being started. Himchan was playing the guitar, eyes closed and completely immersed in the music. They had already recorded the drums, the sound playing to them through a shared headset. All they needed after they finished the guitar was the bass and synth. It was a fairly simple song and it wasn't long either. About a minute and a half. The original beat had bloomed into something beautiful as they added the guitar. The bassline Himchan had written would nearly perfect it. A few adjustments on the synth was all it would take to make it into a hard instrumental about fighting for freedom.The song was going to be perfect. Yongguk loved working with Himchan but the dream kept haunting whenever he allowed himself to detach himself from reality for just a second. Flashbacks of the images reddened his cheeks and made his blood run faster in his veins. He had come to realize he liked the dream. He couldn't accept it. He wasn't gay.  
Himchan finished and Yongguk stopped the recording.  
“So how was it?” Himchan asked. Yongguk noticed the voice was slightly wet and thick. There were no tears in his eyes, but they seemed to burn with sadness and anger.  
“Perfect,” Yongguk answered honestly with a smile. He received a smile from Himchan and it made him remember the passion dream-Himchan’s eyes had held. He mentally slapped himself for thinking of the dream again as his heartbeat increased slightly.  
“Okay, grab a bass and work your magic,” Yongguk said, trying to anchor his mind in reality. He twirled in his chair so he faced the computer.  
“I’ve been thinking. About the lyrics,” Himchan told him as he placed the guitar back in its stand. Yongguk made a sound, signaling him to continue.  
“How about we use our small group?” Himchan suggested while he picked up a bass. Yongguk turned around in his chair, feeling like his friend's words just opened the door to an epiphany.  
“That is an awesome idea!” Yongguk exclaimed excitedly as a wide gummy smile lit up his face. “Himchan you’re a genius!” he gushed and reached into his pockets. He needed to write this down. He needed to prepare. He didn't even pay attention to Himchan's laugh behind him when he came out empty-handed. Yongguk was already searching the table for a single piece of paper he could write on the back of and a lost pencil or pen. About to stand to look behind the screen, he was interrupted by a small notepad and a pencil landing on the table in front of him, Himchan standing next to him.  
"Here you go," Himchan told and Yongguk gave Himchan the best smiles he could muster before he eagerly opened the notebook to a clean page and started writing furiously. He wasn't even paying attention to Himchan and his dream was in the back of his mind. Everything was forgotten for the sake of the onslaught of ideas that filled Yongguk's mind like a swarm of wasps.   
It took Yongguk several minutes of focused and eager writing before he placed the pencil down. He turned around and handed the notebook to Himchan, still opened on the page he had been writing on. Yongguk wrenched his hands nervously as he observed his friend read over his idea, looking for any display of emotion. When a smile spread out on Himchan's face, Yongguk's stomach did a flip and he felt success and pride wash over him.  
"This is good. We can definitely use this," Himchan said when he closed the notebook.   
"Cool. We will look at it later. It's of course just a rough draft, but I think it's doable," Yongguk said and motioned to the door of the recording booth. "Now, you have to get your ass back in there so we can record the remaining of the song," Yongguk said with a wide grin. This time he was staying out to combine the bassline with the guitar from before. Himchan rolled his eyes, opened his mouth to say something but turned around to do as he was told. Yongguk imagined Himchan to have bit back a sassy reply. He wouldn't have been surprised if he had said something about his ass being perfect or something of the likes.   
When Himchan gave a sign from the other side of the glass, Yongguk hit the record button. Himchan started playing when the countdown finished. The sound washed over the studio. The deep rhythm was enticing and when Himchan had first played it, he had been pleasantly surprised. Yongguk had only ever heard his friend play heart wrenchingly and beautifully sad from his friend. This song was more upbeat and empowering yet dark. It was like it was calling for a war.  _War_ , Yongguk thought to himself. He smiled at the boy playing the bass and a whole other type of war came to his mind. Instead of explosions, he heard the smacking of lips. Instead of the ground shaking from the pressure of bombs, he felt his knees wobble from the pleasure of the kissing. Instead of a fight for ground, religion, money, or whatever, it was a battle for dominance in their tongue war. Yongguk slapped himself. _Hard_. He tried to get the image out of his head. He should not be thinking about his dream at that time. His thoughts drifted to the time after the dream. He had jerked off, masturbated, to the thought of his friend. Yongguk didn't want to think about it, but every time he stopped reprimanding himself, he was back to the beginning. It didn't help that Himchan looked absolutely beautiful inside the booth either. The memories kept playing. He buried his face in his hands. It was definitely not the most appropriate moment to be sporting a hard on.  
Himchan stopped, having finished their short song, but Yongguk didn't notice. He was too busy trying to get his thoughts under control and mulling over the fact the whole world was against him. It wasn't good. He sighed to himself only groaning when a line appeared in his head.   
"Roses are red, violets are blue. I'm using my hand, but I'm thinking of you," he whispered to himself. He was so screwed.  
"What did you just say?" Himchan voice asked, interrupting his thoughts. Yongguk almost jumped out of his seat, pink-faced, and embarrassed.   
"I-I...uh...I...nothing!" Yongguk stuttered out helplessly. He was so screwed.  
"No, I'm sure you just said something about using your hand and thinking of someone," Himchan replied suspiciously. Yongguk could feel Himchan's eyes on him, scrutinizing him as if he could read his thoughts. He heard Himchan put the bass back in its place.  
"Nope. No, nope. Didn't say anything," Yongguk denied, betting his money on denial. Deny, deny, deny.  
"Dude, I know you said something. Sadly, I didn't hear it clearly," Himchan said, giving him a look. Yongguk knew denial wasn't going to get him anywhere. Yongguk was hellbent on making it work.  
"I didn't say anything," Yongguk claimed stubbornly. He hoped his denial would eventually pay off.  
"Don't believe you," Himchan said. He looked thoughtful for a moment and Yongguk hoped he would win their argument. "Were you talking about jerking off? Is that why you said something about your hand?" he asked inquiringly. Obviously, that wasn't the case. In fact, it seemed like Himchan had just won it. He did so with bravura. Yongguk's face reddened and his jaw dropped, fear crawling up his spine. Did Himchan know? Himchan could  _not_ know that was exactly what he had been thinking about.  
"Dude! You have such a perverted mind. You were talking about me, weren't you?" Himchan accused. Yongguk was so close to panicking he almost didn't see the glint in his friend's eyes. Himchan was joking. He forced himself to take a deep breath.  _Keep it cool_ , he told himself. Himchan had been so painfully right about everything he had said about him, he might as well have read his mind.  
"I know you've started dreaming about me naked and all. Are you jerking off to my beautiful body now, as well? Dude, you gotta stop or it's gonna get awkward," Himchan reprimanded him. It was still jokingly, but Yongguk definitely didn't see the fun in it. How could he know?

The six members of the new group sat around a table in the cafeteria. Two were discussing vocal techniques, three were sitting in silence, and the last was on the phone, talking to his friends just a couple of table away.  
“I told you, it’s for my project. I’m sorry that I can’t fraternize with you too, but as you know, I take my school seriously, Aron,” Himchan explained with a roll of his eyes in Yongguk’s direction who grinned. Youngjae and Daehyun stopped talking to each other to listen to Himchan’s conversation.  
“No Leeteuk. I’m not going to start hanging out with losers. Right now I’m sitting with decent people. But if you talk like that, I’m going to think I’ve been hanging out with losers for a couple of years now,” Himchan said sternly. Youngjae felt something warm spread in his chest at those words. It wasn't something he had expected. He had mainly seen the popular persona Himchan flaunted. He hadn't really gotten to see the Chan he was underneath the tough demeanor. He felt happy Himchan had defended them from his other friends.   
“Don’t make me laugh. Who’s gonna get you girls, if I’m not around? We both know I’m the most attractive one, so don’t make me say and do something you will regret making me do. You’re part of the 'popular' crowd because of me, and everyone knows it,” Himchan scolded. It was very much like Himchan, but the meaning behind it was all Chan.  
“Aron, this is getting ridiculous. We’ve been friends since high school. You know me better than my parents. Please use your brain and think. I have some work to do,” Himchan told Aron, who apparently was back on the receiver. Youngjae noticed a change of expression on Yongguk’s face when the parents were mentioned. He looked jealous. Like he wanted something. Himchan’s face softened into a smile at something that was said through the receiver.  
“Thank you. But next time. Come say it to my face instead of this. Bang Yongguk is not that scary,” Himchan joked and everyone around the table gave out little smiles. Next thing, Himchan said goodbye and hung up.  
“Sorry about that. Some people just don’t get who’s in charge sometimes,” Himchan apologized with a wink.   
Youngjae smiled. There was someone underneath the Himchan everyone knew. It was a good person. He understood why basically everyone at school liked the older boy.  
“Well now that that’s done, Chan and I wanted to talk with you guys about something,” Yongguk spoke up and everyone turned the attention to the oldest guy of the group. “Chan and I are currently in the making of a small project for music class, and we wanted you guys to help. It’ll be good practice for later when we make it big and start selling albums and what not,” Yongguk explained with a twinkle in his eye. He looked around at the group of people occupying the table expectantly. Himchan looked just as expectantly at the younger boys. Jongup at the end of the table didn’t think for long and nodded. Youngjae, weighed all the pros and cons of the suggestion before he ended up nodding in agreement. He turned to look at the next boy in line. Daehyun though looked panic stricken.  
“This wouldn’t involve singing in front of people I don’t know, would it?” he asked and both Himchan and Yongguk shook their heads in answer. Youngjae could basically see the relief physically roll off his face.  
“Okay. I’ll do it then,” he said and received a thankful nod from Yongguk. Everyone’s eyes turned to Zelo who was in deep thought. He took longer at contemplating the offer than Youngjae had. The latter found himself crossing his fingers underneath the table.  
“Okay,” he said in a quiet voice after a while of silence and received a huge and proud smile from Himchan. It’s almost like a mother’s smile from one of those cheesy drama’s, Youngjae thought as he studied Himchan. That boy was quite the interesting person. And Zelo. Youngjae didn’t know why, but he just felt drawn to the tall boy.   
“Great!” Yongguk’s deep voice exclaimed with happiness and determination to work. “Chan and I will finish the lyrics up soon and give you guys copies of them. We will send you a copy of our song so you can practice,” Yongguk announced and everyone around the table nodded in agreement.  
“If anyone needs help, you can just come to one of us. Which reminds me. Guys, we seriously need each other’s numbers so we can get in contact. I don’t know why I didn’t think of this earlier,” Himchan said and people around the table nodded. Youngjae realized it was quite a good idea. Phones were passed around and they all typed in their numbers until they had their own phones back. Himchan took care of Zelo’s, as he didn’t know his own number yet. Youngjae noticed how eagerly Zelo had gone into the contacts when he got his phone back. The smile that graced his lips warmed Youngjae's heart. The boy was really cute.

Jongup was in the living room with his parents, standing where the coffee table usually was. He was showing them the dance routine he’s been teaching his fellow bandmates. Finishing with a twist and punch in the air, he waited for his parents’ response. The response was loud clapping and big smiles. His dad silently told him it was great, while his mom voiced the words out into the room. He bowed jokingly and his mom cheered like a fangirl. Beside her, his dad laughed at his wife’s behavior and Jongup did the same.  
“Behave, will you?” his mom scolded her husband and hit him jokingly.  
When the laughing subsided, Jongup signaled to his parents that he had something to tell them. The two in the couch eagerly sat back and waited for their son to tell them of his life. Silently, he told them of Himchan and Yongguk and their project. That they wanted him to join in on singing the lyrics. That everyone in the band was going to do it. Jongup’s parents smiled happily.  
“That sounds really exciting sweetheart. I hope you’ll let us listen to it,” his mom said, smiles everywhere. Jongup nodded, a thousand-watt smile on his lips. He really loved his family.  
“Sweetie. Your sister is coming home tomorrow. She called us this morning after you left to tell she’ll be here tomorrow afternoon,” his mom told him and Jongup’s smile turned impossibly brighter. He hadn’t seen his sister for so long. His dad stood up from the couch and silently said they needed to do the dishes.  
“Oh yeah that’s right I forgot!” his mom exclaimed. “Jongup honey, would you go get the laundry from the basement? Then your dad and I will do the dishes,” she asked and looked at Jongup. Jongup nodded and did a courteous bow in his mother's direction. She giggled at him affectionately while he left the room. With a smile, he went to the front door to put on his shoes and head downstairs. He needed to exit the building and enter another door that led down into the basement where the washing machine and broken dryer stood. Thinking of his sister, he jumped over the last step and took the two steps to the front door. Pulling the door open he stepped outside and saw a peculiarly familiar figure on the other side of the street in the dim evening light.  
“Himchan-Hyung?” he called out in confusion. The figure stopped and turned towards him, confirming Jongup’s hunch. It was indeed Himchan. What is he doing here? Jongup asked himself.  
“Jongup?” Himchan asked in surprise and a taint of panic was laced into the word. Jongup walked across the street and reached the older boy.  
‘What are you doing here?’ Jongup asked silently and Himchan sighed a heavy and tired sigh.  
“I’m sorry Jongup, you’re going to have to speak out. It’s dark and I’m tired from work so I can’t make out what you’re saying.” Himchan told him. Every word was like a tired sigh and Jongup nodded with pity.  
“What are you doing here?” Jongup repeated, this time in words.  
“I’m taking a walk,” Himchan answered.  
“But you said you were tired from work. Why not go home then?” Jongup countered, sensing a lie.  
“I needed some fresh air so I’m taking a detour,” Himchan explained. But he was still lying.  
“But you shouldn’t be here. This is the poorest part of town. It’s dangerous to be here,” Jongup argued.  
“I can defend myself,” the older boy defended, but everything still didn’t make sense to Jongup.  
“You said you were tired though. How can you defend yourself when you’re so tired? It doesn’t add up. On top of that, your body is telling me that you’re lying,” the usually quiet boy argued and hoped that now that he had told his new friend that he knew he was lying, he would stop.  
A tired sigh was heard from Himchan. Not just the tired after a long day sigh, but a sigh that vocalized pure and raw exhaustion. It wasn't just a hard day at work kind of sigh, but everything-in-life-is-against-me kind of sigh.  
“I’m sorry Jongup,” Himchan apologized before Jongup could ask if he was alright. Everything about Himchan had changed with that sigh. A whole new body language emerged. Gone was the self-confident, loud, energetic and ever happy Himchan. This was almost completely opposite. As if the world’s burdens lay on his shoulders only.  
“The truth is I live here,” Himchan told him and the younger boy was genuinely surprised. He had literally thought the older boy lived in a well-off rich or at least middle-class area. Not the poorest part of town.  
“When did you move here?” Jongup asked confused. He was sure Himchan lived in the richer parts of town. I mean look at his clothes, Jongup thought.  
“I’m not going to lie to you again Jongup. So to tell the truth, I’ve been living here since the end of middle school,” Himchan answered and the younger boy’s jaw dropped open.  
“Then how come I haven’t seen you here before? I’ve lived here almost all my life,” Jongup asked. Himchan let out a small chuckle.  
“I’m good at hiding and disguises. I can’t let people know I live here. It would spoil my image and that would develop into ruining my image at work and hence make me jobless,” Himchan explained and the younger slowly started getting the hang of things. “So please Jongup. I beg of you. Don’t tell anyone. Not even Bbang or the others,” Himchan begged the younger boy who had caught him. Jongup nodded.  
“Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone,” he promised and the older sighed in relief, and worrisome face smoothed out into “only” exhaustion and hopelessness again.  
“But why can’t I tell the others? They are trustworthy and decent people,” Jongup asked and Himchan’s head shook from side to side in desperation.  
“No, no, no, no, no. You can’t tell them. I know that all of you are nice and I do trust you guys. But I don’t want to be looked at in pity. Other people have it worse than me. Zelo that poor boy for example. He’s the one that needs to be taken care of. Not me,” Himchan told the dancer. The latter searched the older boy’s face and read his body language. There was something beneath the words that the tired boy spoke. Something that sucked the joy of life out of the boy. But Jongup also found an unwillingness to tell what that was, so he didn’t ask further. Himchan was tired. Exhausted.  
“Okay. I won’t tell them. You should though. At least Yongguk-Hyung. You guys are very close. And secrets tire the mind and body,” Jongup said and the corner of Himchan’s mouth bent up into a slight smile. “I have to get the laundry now,” Jongup said, changing subject as he sensed Himchan was done for the night. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Hyung,” he told him in goodbye, and the older boy smiled and waved him off.  
“See you Jongup. And thank you,” Himchan replied with a small smile and turned to walk into the old building behind him.


	18. Chapter Eighteen

“Bbuing, bbuing! Aren’t I cute?” Himchan asked, his face in the typical 'bbuing bbuing' expression as the six members of the band headed out of the school building. “Huh, Bbang. Aren’t I cute? I know you think I’m cute,” he continued to his friend who was facepalming and let out a giant groan. “I take that as a yes. Jongup don’t you think I’m cute too? Bbuing, bbuing!” Himchan went on and the younger boy simply smiled a bright smile and nodded. Daehyun looked at his childhood friend with pity. He knew better than anyone that Yongguk hated this type of behavior. But with Himchan it was an exception apparently. Even though major irritation was written across the oldest boy’s face.  
“One day, I’m going to kill you,” Yongguk told Himchan. “Seriously. How can you do this to me Chan?” he asked in desperation.  
“Oh shut it Bbang, I know you love it. Bbuing, bbuing!” Himchan waved him off and continued to act cute.  
“Jongup!” A female voice called, interrupting Himchan’s cute fest. The dancer mentioned looked in the direction of the voice and suddenly his normal smile was brighter than the sun.  
“Noona!” he yelled back and bolted off towards a girl with long red hair. She was wearing an oversized white t-shirt, so big it looked like she wasn’t wearing anything under. When Jongup reached the girl, the two embraced each other in a strong embrace. Daehyun felt a knife being stuck into his heart. Jongup was way too happy to see the girl. Daehyun watched as the dancer lifted the girl up and swung her around. Daehyun’s heart was ripped to pieces. The best way to disguise sadness was with anger. He wanted to know who this girl was. He definitely didn't like her. He didn't like the girl. She had  _his_  Jongup's heart and Daehyun didn't like it.  
“Look Bbang, she’s wearing shorts underneath, stop thinking such perverted thoughts. People don’t go around without pants on!” Himchan scolded Yongguk loudly, which cut through Daehyun’s thoughts of murdering that girl. Jongup let go of the girl and entwined their hands.  
“I’m going to go now. See you later!” Jongup yelled to them and Himchan yelled back a ‘see ya’. Jongup and the girl turned and headed off to the parking space while the remaining five boys looked at them go. Daehyun didn’t like it. Not at all.  
“She’s cute. I really like her hair.” Himchan commented, breaking the spell of astonishment.  
“Yeah whatever Chan, let’s just go.” Yongguk waved him off and turned towards the gates of the school grounds.

Daehyun laid covered in sheets in his bed, thinking of his misery. His Jongup had been taken away from him. How was this possible. Jongup was his! Not that ugly red-haired girl’s. It wasn’t fair. She walked around half naked as well! Like some whore or something. No. It wasn’t fair at all. “Daehyun-Hyung? Dad says dinner is ready,” Daehyun’s little brother Daesung told him. Daehyun could barely hear him from the other side of the many sheets he had taken cover in.  
“I’m not hungry!” Daehyun replied grumpily. How could he eat without Jongup being his?  
“Holy shit,” he heard Daesung whisper and then his brother went out of their shared room.  
“Mom! Dad! Daehyun isn’t hungry!” he heard Daesung yell to his parents. “Something is fucking wrong with him!” he continued.  
“Daesung! Wash your mouth boy! I refuse to hear that language in my house!” he heard his mother tell his brother and Daehyun zoned out again into his sad and miserable life. How could Jongup have another when he was clearly his?  
“Daehyun, sweetheart,” his mother said, bringing him back from his depressing thoughts. “What’s wrong?” she asked. She was clearly worried.  
“Nothing. Go away.” Daehyun grumbled back. He didn’t want to talk to anyone.  
“Alright then. We’ll leave some leftovers in the fridge for you okay? Then you can eat when you’re hungry again,” his mother told him and left. Daehyun went back to earlier today when Jongup had swung that bitch around in his arms and smiled like he’d never been happier. He was supposed to be with him. Not some random whore.  
A beep sounded from under the pillow he had his head on. It signaled a text had arrived. Daehyun had no interest in reading it. He ignored it. The phone started again, reminding him of its existence. Daehyun fished it out and looked at the phone in his small cave of blankets and duvets. 'Hey Daehyun, we’ll be practicing tomorrow afternoon. Everyone’s off at the same time, so we’ll go directly to the dance studio. Contact Youngjae and see if you guys can have some vocal practice time as well. I know you haven’t looked at the lyrics like you’re supposed to yet so do that ok? - Yongguk’  it read. Daehyun gave a slight smile and pressed the reply button.   
‘Since when do you write such long texts, Hyung?’ he asked and sent the message to Yongguk. A little while later a reply lighted up the phone.  
‘Since Chan dictated everything I needed to say, so I didn’t forget anything.’ the reply came back. Daehyun smiled again. Those two had really become good friends. His thoughts went back to Jongup. He’s supposed to mine! he yelled internally. A sudden idea struck him. Of course! He should just win Jongup back from that horrible girl.

Daehyun fought his way out of his cave, failing horribly at it. He made for the door, but something had his foot in its jaws so he fell over and kissed the floor. Groaning, he fought his foot out of the blankets and got up again. This time he made it to the door successfully without falling. Once out of the door, he went down the hall, past his big brother’s and parent’s room and reached his little sister’s room. His idea was to dress to impress. That whore wouldn’t stand a chance against him. Jongup’s was his. Entering his sister’s room he made it straight towards her closet. He didn’t have very exciting clothes himself, but his sister had. She wore mostly boys' clothes. It was tighter and better fitting than his own plain and slightly baggy style. Rummaging through her closet for something to wear, he thanked whoever was listening that he and his sister had a very similar body build.  
“What do you think you’re doing?” a female voice asked sternly and Daehyun froze in his search. Slowly he turned and looked at a younger female version of himself.  
“Hi, Dayoung,” Daehyun greeted her sheepishly. “Didn’t see you come in,” he continued and one of her eyebrows disappeared under her hair. She had short hair, very similar to his own hairstyle, slightly loose skinny jeans, a white t-shirt and a black jacket with red arms. Daehyun eyed the jacket. He could use that.  
“It's kind of hard to see me when you have your body in my closet and I don’t want to repeat my question,” she told him, obviously wanting to know what he was doing in her domain.  
“How is it you talk to your favorite Oppa?” he asked, faking hurt. She snickered.  
“Favorite oppa, my ass,” she answered.  
“Dayoung! Language!” the voice of their mother sounded from the kitchen. The two siblings looked at each other and for a moment forgot the situation.  
“I don’t get how she does it!” Dayoun said in disbelief.  
“Me neither, it’s like she has a detector on,” Daehyun continued.  
“Exactly,” Dayoung agreed.  
Dayoung's expression from before returned and Daehyun rushed to apologize.  
"Sorry! I know I'm not supposed to be in here, but you have to help! I have no clothes to wear so I need to borrow yours," he explained quickly, leaving his sister silent and obviously surprised.  
“You need clothes? You have clothes,” she said confused.  
“Yeah, but I need other clothes. Clothes I can actually wear so that bi-... I mean. I just need them,” Daehyun said, hoping Dayoung didn’t catch on to anything he had said in his mindless ramble.  
“You need to impress someone, don’t you?” she asked suspiciously.  
“No,” Daehyun denied while he nodded. He realized his mistake and hurried to shake his head instead. His little sister let out a dry amused laugh.  
“You are trying to impress someone! Is it a girl? Is she hot? Or maybe it’s boy? Does he have abs? If he has abs, can’t I have him instead?” she asked teasingly.  
“No!” Daehyun yelled out. “He’s mine!” No one could have Jongup. No one but him.  
“Chill, Oppa! I mean no harm,” Dayoung said holding her hands out in front of her. With what looked like an afterthought she held up her hand, parting the fingers into two sections. “I come in peace,” she said with a smile, and a smile broke out on Daehyun's face as well.  
“Will you help me?” Daehyun asked her almost pleadingly. Dayoung smiled in return.  
“Of course. Can't have my brother single forever,” she answered and pushed her way past into her closet to look around.  
  
Himchan looked at himself in the mirror and sighed. Everything he saw reflected just called for a sigh. With a chuckle, he wondered how his many fans and followers would react if they saw like this. Face washed clean of makeup, baggy jeans, and an oversized hoodie. He was completely out of place in his changing room filled with chic and fashionable clothes. The walls and mirrors were even too much. This was clearly not where he belonged. Thinking of some place else, he mentally wandered off to the club where Yongguk worked. It was dim, people weren’t dressed all that nicely, many were dressed like his current state actually, and then there was the music. It wasn’t techno or pop, though it popped up every once in a while. Mostly, the speakers blasted with hip hop. There were many shows with many different rappers. The club was famous in the underground scene, while none of his many friends he talked with knew of it. It was a place of freedom for him. But he couldn’t go there tonight. No, he had to go home. It was later. And there was money to be dealt to his parents. With another sigh he raised himself from the chair he was sitting in, went to get the money for today’s work and headed home.

On his way, he pondered about how things were turning out lately. He hid himself deep into his hood. Lately, he had gotten more popular, and bigger magazines were asking for him. There had been an offer about a commercial filming as well. He could use the money. But the time it would take would interfere with his schoolwork. He needed to get a good education so he could get a better job than modeling. Despite the good pay, he didn’t like it much and he saw (and hoped) it to be more of a temporary job. On top of that, it would interfere with a dream that he had never voiced out, but was recently made more plausible by a person whose name was Bang Yongguk. Stand on a stage and live his music.  
Bang Yongguk. That boy. How he had hated him. The fact that someone’s life could be so perfect and a person could be so soft and gentle, acted like a total ass. He acted as if his life was shit like Himchan’s own was and that had pissed him off. He had been jealous. He was still jealous. But Yongguk had caught him. He had befriended his real self, and it was relieving. That anyone would want to friends with his real self still surprised him, but he was thankful. Oh so thankful. Tears filled Himchan’s eyes as he thought about the day Yongguk had found him as Himchan, experiencing a pain he’d never had before. Yongguk had taken care of him. Carried him to his own home and let Himchan sleep next to him. A tear slid down his cheek as he thought of the kindness that he had never experienced before. Reaching up, Himchan wiped the tear away and looked at his wet finger. A tear of thankfulness. A tear of gratitude. That was the first time he had tried that.  
Bang Yongguk. He hated to admit it, but the boy was slowly taking his heart. And there was nothing he could do about it. Yongguk had forever earned a place in his heart for being a friend and showing such kindness when he needed it most. The way he kept being nice and kind and simply wonderful in every single way was the best thing in the world, yet so frustrating.There is no way that the perfect Bang Yongguk could ever like the imperfectness and faulty Kim Himchan. And then there was his brother.


	19. Chapter Nineteen

Yongguk was chatting happily to Himchan in front of Daehyun. They were on their way to the dance studio. Zelo walked on the other side of Himchan, half a step behind him like a duckling following its mother. Daehyun wasn’t happy. Jongup hadn’t shown up in school. He had sent all of them a text saying that he wouldn’t come to school that day for matters he would explain later. He would meet up with them at the dance studio, though. So Daehyun had basically dressed up for nothing, as he would be wearing his looser clothes for the dancing. His sister and he had spent hours to figure out what he should wear today and then Jongup didn’t show up. If he was lucky, Jongup might see his clothes, but only for a short while. The way things had turned out until now, it was highly doubtful he would.  
“Stupid whore,” Daehyun mumbled out loud.  
“What did you just say?” Yongguk asked turning to face him.  
“Cake store,” Daehyun replied quickly covering up his little cursing of Jongup’s damn Noona. Yongguk rolled his eyes at him.  
“I’m not surprised,” Yongguk commented dryly, turning back to Himchan and continued blabbering about whatever.  
The four of them arrived at the dance studio and went inside. The three of them looked around, looking a little helpless and Daehyun had enough mind to show the way. He was, after all, the only one who had memorized the map of the studio. Upon opening the door, Daehyun's hopes of getting to impress Jongup hit the floor and crashed. The girl from the previous day was there as well. She was talking about something while Jongup listened and smiled. And smiled. And smiled. And smiled some more with love and fondness in his features. A twist in his gut and a stab in his heart nearly made Daehyun lose his poker face and directly scowl at that damn girl. At least she wasn’t half naked as she had been yesterday. Today she was wearing a loose pair of pants and a green top. Half-naked or not, Daehyun still hated her guts. The others walked behind him and Jongup turned to all of them, greeting them in his silent language. When everyone had said their hello’s, Jongup turned to the girl and silently told them there was someone he wanted to introduce them to.  
“I want you all to meet my Noona, Jin Ae,” Jongup introduced her and she bowed a small bow with a bright smile. Daehyun still didn’t like her.  
“It’s nice to meet you,” she greeted them. It’s not nice to meet you, Daehyun replied in his head.  
“My little brother has told me so much about you guys,” she continued and Daehyun’s ears perked, hope sparking in his chest. Little brother? Every single grudge for the girl Daehyun had changed immediately and he wondered how he should treat his future sister-in-law. He had to make a good impression.  
“It’s nice to meet you too,” Daehyun told her, a happy smile on his lips, as he bowed to Jin-Ae. He hadn’t lost his Jongup after all. Every single bone in his body was ready to celebrate.   
“My name is Bang Yongguk,” Yongguk introduced himself with a bow and Jin Ae nodded back.  
“I’m Kim Himchan and this is Zelo,” Himchan introduced himself and Zelo, who looked nervous and uncomfortable.  
“You really are the Kim Himchan. I didn’t believe Jongup when he said it,” Jin Ae said in disbelief, eyes big. Himchan smiled at the recognition.  
“I’m sorry I only give autographs in working hours,” he joked and Jin Ae laughed. Daehyun noticed, now that he looked at the girl, that even though she and Jongup didn’t look alike at all, they had the same bright smile.  
“Jongup did tell me about your humor,” she laughed and Himchan gave her wink in response.  
“My name is Jung Daehyun,” Daehyun introduced himself with the brightest smile possible and a deep bow.  
“Oh, Jongup has told me a lot about you,” Jin Ae said and Daehyun internally hoped the scene with him getting a boner and kissing Jongup wasn’t one of them. He could feel the blood rush to his face thinking about it. Jin Ae chuckled and whispered something in Jongup’s ear that made the dancer's face slightly pink as well. Daehyun would kill just to know what made Jongup blush.  
“I hope you guy are okay with it, but Noona wanted to see us practice?” Jongup asked for permission and all four of them nodded approvingly. A beep sounded from Daehyun’s pocket and he fished out his phone.  
“Youngjae will be here in an hour,” he told everyone in the room the content of the text message.  
Yongguk rushed them off to change, while Jongup and Jin Ae stayed in the room. When Daehyun came back, the music was blasting, and the two siblings were dancing their hearts out to it. They were perfectly synchronized, every step was as if it was practiced a million times. The two of them stepped towards each other and Jongup grabbed a hold on Jin Ae and swung her around. Swinging her back, Jongup took a firm grip on her shoulders, before she leaned back and was on her hands behind him.This isn’t just dancing anymore, it is fucking gymnastics Daehyun thought.

Jin Ae saw him, still on her hands and got herself back on her feet and got Jongup’s attention. The latter went over to turn off the music and was suddenly aware that he was alone with his crush (that he had kissed out of nowhere) and his sister. Before anyone could say anything though, the last three entered the room saving Daehyun from the awkwardness.

Youngjae was lost. He hated to admit it, but he was lost. The damn dance school was too complicated. He had ended up on the roof, realizing he had no idea where he was and how to find the others. Finally giving up, he fished out his phone and found Zelo in his contacts. Pressing the green button he put the phone to his ear and waited for the tall boy to answer.  
“Hello?” a nervous voice answered after a while and Youngjae found himself smiling.  
“Zelo. I’m kind of... lost. I can’t find the room where I’m supposed to meet you guys,” he told Zelo hesitantly.  
“Where... are you?” Zelo asked through the speaker. God this is so embarrassing, Youngjae thought.  
“I don’t know,” he admitted.  
“Not far from the roof,” he told the tall boy and heard a slight chuckle. Was that Zelo chuckling?  
“I’ll come get you,” Zelo told him and Youngjae sighed in relief. “Can you find the roof again?” Zelo asked nervously.  
“Yeah,” Youngjae replied, heard and ‘ok’ from the other before Zelo hung up. I guess that means I have to find the roof Youngjae thought and turned back to walk down the hall to the roof. Luckily he actually found it and didn’t end up somewhere else somehow. He didn’t wait long before the door opened and Zelo stood in the door. Letting out a sigh of relief, Youngjae was near hugging the boy but remembered the boy’s shyness and unwillingness to touch others in the last second.  
“I could hug you right now,” he said instead as a greeting, to which Zelo smiled a small smile. Youngjae felt like someone put the world on pause in the small second Zelo’s lips were turned upwards. It disappeared as quickly as it had shown. The only indication of something having happened was Youngjae's heart. It beat like had run a mile in full sprint and showed no signs of calming down. It left Youngjae slightly breathless and Youngjae didn't like it. Hearts didn't act like that unless he was getting sick or he was in love. And he was definitely not in love with Zelo. That would be absurd.

“So Daehyun was nice,” Jin Ae commented as she and Jongup walked on their way home. Jongup gave her look. She only chuckled though. “Hey, I’m only saying that he’s nice. If eyes could kill...” she defended herself. Jongup stared at her blankly. How he wished she would shut up. However, the look only fueled the girl's need to tease her brother. She wouldn't shut up about his crush all the way home. Not even when they entered the apartment was he free of her teasing.  
"Jongup likes Daehyun!" Jin Ae yelled loudly as soon as the door shut behind them. Jongup hadn't even gotten his shoes off before his parents were standing before him.  
"What?! You promised you'd tell us first!" his mother complained in feigned disappointment. His dad was telling him the same with his body. How he wished he had duct taped his sister's mouth.  
"Mom! Dad!" he whined pathetically. He needed them to side with him against his sister. "I didn't tell her anything," he defended himself. He felt like this couldn't be done silently. He needed actual words.  
"Oh, don't lie. I could see it in the way you moved in accordance to him and they your movements changed when he walked in the door. You have, without a doubt, a crush on him," she countered, which only led to more protests from Jongup.  
"Oh, so you're defending yourself? That only means you like him more than I thought," she teased him  
"No!" Jongup yelled out loud, surprising both himself and the others with the volume.  
"He really does like him," his mother concluded and his father nodded in agreement. They both grinned teasingly and Jongup groaned in annoyance. He couldn't completely fight the smile on his lips wither. It was usually like this when his sister was home and he had missed the playful banters. No matter how annoying she could be, he missed her. He couldn't lie to himself about that. Neither could he lie about his feelings for Daehyun. Daehyun did have an effect on him. He just didn't know if it was the aftershocks of the kiss or an actual crush. He still needed to figure that out.

Himchan sat by the bar, drinking a beer (paid by Yongnam) and looked at the performance on stage. It was a rapper called Maslo and he was good. He was one of Himchan's favorites too. Yongguk was working and it was Yongnam's turn on stage next. Maslo finished under loud yells and applause before he disappeared backstage. Himchan took another sip as Yongnam and his group appeared on stage. Himchan had seen him there before, now that he thought about it. They were good. He never really looked at them when they performed. It was the music that counted. Looking to Yongguk's little 'sound corner' he caught his friend's eye. Yongguk gave him a wink and Himchan rolled his eyes in return. He turned his eyes to the stage when they music started. It was rock. So different from Yongguk's hip hop inspired music. It was funny how the Bang Brothers both had an interest in music but with so different genres. Yongnam and his band played a few songs and finished with a feedback much similar to Maslo's. They disappeared backstage and Himchan nursed his nearly empty beer. Yongnam plopped into the seat next to Himchan and leaned onto the bar.  
"How did it go?" he asked, hungry for feedback other than the applause.  
"Really well. Barely any mistakes were made and the depth of the song was nicely delivered," Himchan provided with a smile. He didn't joke about feedback when it came to music. It was a serious thing that helped shape the craftsmanship and result of the musician. He loved feedback as well, but playing in front of others was something he did so rarely he had barely gotten any in his long years of playing multiple instruments.  
"Aw, thanks, man," Yongnam thanked him and nudged him playfully.  
"I know, I know. Words of praise from the great Himchan is more than you ever dreamt of," Himchan grinned back at the guy next to him. Yongnam laughed.  
"Of course. It's more than I could ever ask for," Yongnam agreed with mocking humbleness and gratitude. The two of them laughed.  
"Are you going to play tonight? Guk praises you to the skies, but I still haven't heard you ply," Yongnam asked, to which Himchan shook his head.  
"Not tonight, my dear follower. People can't take in too much perfection at once. They are so unused to my perfect self, they have to take me in smaller doses," he claimed, grinning at his claim.  
"You make yourself sound like a drug," Yongnam told him. Himchan laughed.  
"Ah, I am a drug. The perfect drug. People long for me, long to stand in the light I emit, long to be like me. I can't help it," Himchan explained with a high mind to which Yongnam laughed "I didn't choose to be perfect. I just am," Himchan commented and smiled brightly.  
"I would never deny it. Let me worship you, oh Great Himchan!" Yongnam exclaimed and started making bowing motions in his direction. Himchan laughed at his antics.  
"What are you two laughing at?" Yongguk asked as the new artist on stage left and a new one appeared. The two turned to see him slide into the seat next to Himchan.  
"Your goofy smile when Maslo was on stage. We're agreeing that you have a crush on him. We just need the confirmation," Himchan inquired playfully.   
"No!" Yongguk exclaimed, voice bordering on panic. Yongnam's jaw dropped open next to Himchan and he leaned forward to look at his brother in mock surprise.   
"You like Maslo? I  _knew_  you were gay! I just  _knew_  it." Yongnam exclaimed teasingly and stuck his tongue out at his brother. Himchan laughed when Yongguk's head dropped to the bar counter and watched him pull himself back up.  
"No, Nam. You're, obviously, the gay brother. I've seen the gay porn in your drawer. Don't deny it," Yongguk shot back with an amount of sass that made Himchan proud. Himchan clapped his hands in surprise and patted Yongguk's back in approval.   
"It's nice to see I've rubbed off on you, dear friend," he told him before turning to Yongnam. "Don't go dreaming about me naked though," Himchan told him seriously. "Your brother has already done it," he continued. He didn't even flinch when Yongguk's head slammed onto the counter again. Yongnam, on the other hand, was laughing his ass off.   
"I love you, Himchan. I really do," Yongnam laughed.

On the other side of Himchan, Yongguk wondered what he had ever done to the world to deserve something like this. He had never thrown trash in the streets. He always turned off the light when he left a room and turned off the shower when he used the soap. He preferred walking or taking the bus over driving and still the world was playing him so hard he wanted to die. Upon hearing Yongnam's declaration of love towards his best friend, Yongguk's head snapped up and he glared at his twin. Yongguk really had to control himself, not to lean across Himchan and kill Yongnam. He then realized what he was thinking and shook his head. Those thoughts were getting the best of him lately.  
"Of course you do," Himchan replied to Yongnam while Yongguk was thinking over the world situation. "Who wouldn't love me?" Himchan asked and Yongnam bowed at Himchan again. Seeing Himchan laugh, Yongguk joined in, hoping to his momentary mental breakdown. 


	20. Chapter Twenty

Jongup was singing a random song in front of Youngjae and Daehyun. Youngjae was paying attention to his voice and his abilities, just like he had done to Daehyun's. Jongup finished the song and Daehyun clapped with a smile and a look that could be compared to a lovesick puppy. Youngjae leaned back and closed his eyes a couple of seconds before he reached for the notepad in front of him. He wrote down the things they had to work on so he wouldn't forget.   
"Okay, thank you. You both have good voices, but I didn't expect less when it comes to Yongguk-Hyung and his pickiness. He wouldn't pick someone because he is biased when it comes to music," Youngjae explained before he looked at the both of them. "There is still some work to do, especially you, Jongup. You've never really sung before, and definitely didn't have training," Youngjae continued his evaluation of the boys. Jongup smiled at him, showing he wasn't hurt by the comment. Youngjae was known for being blunt with his words so it relieved him that Jongup wasn't hurt. He could be a quite merciless boss. It was business. It was how he was taught to act and it worked on people. "There are some things you both need to be aware of," he continued and motioned for them to come closer to him. "Bring the air from down here," Youngjae said and placed his hand on Jongup's stomach. "This will help you improve the depth of your tone and the length as well. In short, you'll sing properly," Youngjae told them and Jongup nodded. Jongup wrote down what Youngjae had said, and the coach was pleased to see the engagement with which Jongup joined the group.  
"Okay, Jongup, try again, this time breathing from your stomach," Youngjae requested. Youngjae still had his hand on Jongup's stomach, paying attention to whether or not Jongup breathed deep enough, It had helped Youngjae when his teacher had done the same, and Youngjae was going to need the tricks to teach Jongup and Daehyun properly in so little time. "Good," Youngjae commented when Jongup finished. It had definitely gotten better. "Try hold your stomach like I just did whenever you practice singing at home. Practice breathing all the way there," he suggested and Jongup nodded.  
He turned to Daehyun and put his hand on his stomach as well.  
"Try do the same as I just told Jongup," Youngjae instructed. Daehyun opened his mouth to sing but Youngjae raised his hand to silence him. "No. Put your hand on your stomach and breathe from there," he ordered and Daehyun did as he was told. Youngjae watched as he did as he was told and nodded slowly. "Now sing," he instructed and Daehyun opened his mouth to sing. Youngjae furrowed his brows thoughtfully as he listened but ended up smiling when Daehyun finished.   
"Well done. Remember the breathing exercise, both of you," Youngjae told them and watched Daehyun look at Jongup. He looked like a puppy waiting for a praise from its owner. Jongup smiled brightly at him and Daehyun mirrored it. He was watching them, smiling at each other. They were completely ignoring his existence, but Youngjae found it more amusing than offensive.   
"Hey, Lovebirds! Snap out of it. I'm done with you two yet. You can go out on a date later," Youngjae told them, catching their attention. As if on cue, the two blushed and looked down onto the floor. The coach couldn’t help but chuckle. It looked like they were embarrassed. It had him smirk mischievously. Looks like I struck a cord, he thought to himself with a smile. He didn't comment on it more, finding it more suitable to get their singing going than playing matchmaker. 

"Misery is looking for a wingman, with a picture of me asking ‘have you seen him?', Haters love company or don’t they? While they roll their eyes at me I just roll J's,” Zelo's usually shy and nervous demeanor was replaced by a more confident one. He rapped expertly and watched Yongguk's face for signs of approval. He would have looked at Himchan too, but the boy was texting away on his phone. He was amazed by how many people who wanted to be in contact with Himchan, and Himchan still chose to spend time with them. He kind of wanted him to pay attention to him instead, but he didn't complain. And seeing how Yongguk was throwing glances at Himchan, Zelo guessed they felt the same. He couldn't quite fathom how popular Himchan was. He didn't really get to notice until now. They only noticed now that they had a full afternoon with the other. He didn't bring his phone to dance practice so they didn't really notice then, but this was insane.  
"That's really well done, Zelo. Your English pronunciation is good," Yongguk praised him when he stopped rapping. Zelo's attention went from Himchan to Yongguk. He was happy Himchan was there. It was supposed to just be Yongguk and him, but he hadn't been all that comfortable with it. Himchan had sensed it and tagged along too. He was thankful he had done that. While he admired the deep-voiced rapper, he was also intimidated. Scared even, just like he was with the rest of the group. The only exceptions were Jongup and Himchan. Jongup was like a quiet friend. Jongup accepted him for what he was and simply stood there, silently supporting. Zelo had a feeling the other dancer would always be there to help him up if he ever fell. Himchan reminded him of his mother before his father started drinking. He kind of liked how Yongguk called him 'mama-Chan'. It fit him. Himchan was like his personal bodyguard sometimes. A friend and a mother at other times. He was encouraging him to his best. What struck Zelo most about Himchan, was the way he understood him and everything he was going through. It was a weird feeling to have. Himchan was practically swimming in friends who loved him and probably had a nice family that supported him at home. Himchan was perfect in Zelo's eyes. He had everything, and still, he took care of him and understood him. Even though he still felt nervous and was afraid that people would hurt him, he felt lucky. He was still worried that Himchan and Jongup would turn their backs on him, but he wanted to give them a chance. He even felt happy at times. He hadn't felt like that for almost as long as he could remember. There was only once or twice in his memory he had been happy with other people. Otherwise, it was only when he was rapping and dancing. Another thing that made him happy. These people seemed to have it the same way as him when it came to music.  
“Awesome! You’re really good,” Yongguk praised him when the song finished. From the bed, Himchan gave him a huge smile and a thumbs up. Zelo beamed. This felt good.  
“I want to try something,” Yongguk continued and went to his desk, messing around with some papers. Letting out a sound of approvement, Yongguk handed him a piece of paper. He looked at it. It was handwritten and a few words had been crossed out and replaced with something else. zelo started reading. It was good. It looked like something Yongguk had written himself. Zelo liked it. "It's the song Himchan and I worked on," Yongguk explained and pointed to two sections of the song. Zelo mouthed the words as he read through it, trying to remember them.  
"Who's _Bla Bla_?" he asked confused. Himchan laughed from his seat the bed.  
"Is that what you call us on paper? You should have left it blank like when you showed it to me," Himchan chuckled. Yongguk grinned at Himchan before turning back to Zelo.  
"It's us, our band," he explained to him. Zelo couldn't help but notice the pink that dusted his cheeks.  
"We should find a name soon so we can finish and record the song," Himchan remarked when he stopped laughing and both rappers nodded in agreement.  
Well, anyways, I'll play you the song and then we'll try it out a second time, okay? I'll rap my parts as well," Yongguk told Zelo, going back to business. Zelo nodded and prepared himself. He really liked working with Yongguk like this. Himchan was there too for eventual protection and to simply take care of the atmosphere. Zelo wanted to be like Himchan. He wanted to be someone who could brighten up a room and bring comfort to those who needed it with a simple smile.

Victoria screamed in frustration and threw herself on her bed as soon as she got home. Youngjae had once again showed no signs of giving in to her. Again. He had kept her at a certain distance the whole time she had visited him. She had only gotten closer to him than a meter’s distance when they had greeted each other with a handshake. A handshake! What did she have to do to get this boy to fall for her? Why was it so easy with everyone else, when this one seemed to be more disgusted with her appearance every time they met. Sure, he was pleasant and nice when his parents were there, but it was still only to the degree that was needed to be polite and not a single thing more. Burying herself in her pillow she thought about what she had heard when she had ascended the stairs to the floor on which he had his rooms. It had been a beautiful voice. The song, though she couldn’t hear the individual words, had reached her heart. It had been about a beautiful love. And when she stood outside his rooms and pressed her ear against the door to hear more, she had confirmed that it was indeed a song of love. The kind of love she wanted. And it pained her heart to hear about it from such a beautiful voice that didn’t want her. She wanted that voice, the owner of that voice, that love. Victoria would sacrifice most of her life if she could get it. She rolled around onto her back and looked at her ceiling. After a while of listening, she had made a couple of loud steps and knocked on the door. Youngjae had stopped singing immediately and she had entered as if she’d never heard his beautiful voice. He didn’t want people to know about it, obviously, and Victoria didn’t want to tell anyone. She wanted him to fall for her and then she would ask him to sing for her every day. But he didn’t get that they were supposed to be together. For their companies first of all and because she wanted him. He had indirectly told her she wasn’t his type today. And she had even worn one of her best mini dresses. It fit her perfectly and highlighted her curves. How could he not fall for her? Unless he was gay? No, he can’t be, that’s absurd, she dismissed the thought.  
Getting up, she straightened out her dress. She was going to go to the club and get someone to take away her stress. But this dress wasn’t something she was going to risk at a club. Walking to her closet, she went in and find her party dress section. After a couple of minutes of indecisiveness, she chose a black mini dress with a low back and red ribbon laced up it and a red stripe up the side. She went over and picked a pair of red heels to go with it and changed. Maybe I should shower? She thought but pushed away. Too lazy. With her dress and heels on, she went back to her room and found her makeup. Her current look didn’t fit perfectly enough to her new dress and shoes. When she was ready, she walked through the house. She told her parents a friend had invited her to a part and they told her to have fun. She promised to take care of herself and come back home. She kept up the innocent act, even if it was all a lie.  
When she entered the club, she ignored all the obvious stares she got from the others and approached the bar. She ignored the invitations she got from the boys too, needing a shot or two first. With the first couple of drinks down, she turned around to look at the occupants of the club. Towards the back, she spotted a group of people she knew. They were sitting in a large booth in the VIP section. Only tables for VIPs and their friends. There was a spot left, and Victoria invited herself to join them.  
"Victoria!" they greeted her happily and she smiled back at them.   
"I hear you've been here pretty often, lately," Himchan, the model from Youngjae's school, commented. She smiled t him playfully.  
"And you've been here less, lately. We've been missing your company," Victoria replied. She wanted to know what he had been doing with the losers at his school. She didn't know the details, but the rumors weren't quiet. He was spending less time with the popular group and more time with a bunch of losers. Who exactly they were, she didn't know.   
"School's a bitch. I have a project with Bang Yongguk, and it's taking up so much time. I might also go into commercial filming, so life has been hectic," Himchan answered. Victoria had heard of Bang Yongguk. Apparently, he was a pretty scary gangster. She had also heard Himchan was the only one who wasn't scared of him. Then again, Himchan seemed to be on top of the world, despite not having the money or position in society she had. She'd like to meet this Yongguk. Bad boys were usually good in bed. She was going to take the best of the people in the club for that night and try out Yongguk another day. The boy sitting across from her, seemed like a good candidate for the night's gymnastics. Let the flirting begin.

  
 She’d like to meet this Bang Yongguk. Bad boys were usually good in bed. But now she was just going to take the best who was there tonight. And the boy sitting opposite her seemed like a good candidate. Let the flirting begin.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN:// Zelo is rapping a part of Dumbfoundead's Crushing Limbs. It's really good ^^


	21. Chapter Twenty One

"Do you mind waiting here while I go take a shower? It won't take long," Yongguk told Himchan when they entered his room. Himchan honestly didn't mind and made his way to Yongguk's bed while the older grabbed some fresh clothes and left. Himchan returned the smile Yongguk offered him when he left. He sat down on Yongguk's bed. He had his big, baggy, and comfortable clothes on. It was Sunday and they were going to the club. This time Yongnam stayed behind. He had something close to a pile matching the Namsan Tower in height of homework to do. Himchan was going to perform again. He didn't feel like playing anything happy. Underneath his big clothes, his skin was marked with bruises. His parents had ganged up on him and both beat him. His hood was up, even though it was the Bang house. It was safe it enough to put it down there, but he didn't. He didn't want the twins to notice anything and start worrying. He definitely didn't want them to ask what had happened. And Yongguk would want to take revenge on the ones who had done it. He was just that kind of person. Himchan didn't want that. He wanted his little secret to remain a secret. Despite what Jongup had said. Jongup had been right. The secret only made it harder for himself, but Zelo had it worse, so Himchan wasn't going to complain. It was just one of the harder days in life. There would always be days worse than the rest.  
"I'm back," a wet-haired Yongguk announced as he came through the door. He was wearing a pair of baggy pants and a tank top, doing nothing to hide the muscles on his arms. Himchan couldn't help but stare while he silently cursed Yongguk's indecency. Why was life giving him one of the harder ones today?  
"That was fast," Himchan commented casually as if he hadn't just been ogling his collarbones for a few seconds.   
"You can take your hood off, you know," Yongguk told him but Himchan shook his head.  
"Sorry, can't. I don't want to defile my eyes with how ugly you look right now," Himchan shot back sassily, covering the truth of a bruised and swollen face.  
"What a great friend you are," Yongguk commented dryly before pulling on a hoodie.  
"You love me," Himchan shot back automatically. His friend shook his head in amusement and walked to his door.  
"Let's just go. If we don't go yet, your ego won't fit through the door," Yongguk said and Himchan laughed as he followed him out.

"So, I'm slowly getting a hang of the language, but it's pretty hard. There are so many new sounds, I mean, I can get by by speaking English, but they have three additional letters beside that. And the silent h's. They're killing. And no one can tell me a damn rule on whether to use the articles  _en_  or  _et_. Those are the same as  _a_  and  _an_  but they have no rules like they do in English. They just are, and you're supposed to  _know._  Jin-ae told her family. They were seated around the small kitchen table, eating dinner. "But I can say some basic things like  _Jeg hedder Jin Ae_. That means 'my name is Jin Ae'," she said before stuffing her cheeks with a spoonful of rice. Everyone was listening closely to her tales about her job in the Scandinavian country, Denmark. She worked for a milk company. It was expanding their sales to Korea. Her job was to help with the communication and understanding the culture. "Enough about me," she said, having almost spent the whole dinner talking. She turned to Jongup who looked up from his place, feeling the sudden attention.  
"Don't you guys still need a name?" she asked and the dancer nodded. "Do you have any ideas of what you want yet?" their mom asked and Jongup shook his head. They hadn't talked about it at all, really. "How about we come up with some ideas?" she asked and Jongup shrugged. He indicated he wouldn't mind some help, and what harm could it really do? For the rest of the dinner and after everyone had finished, Jongup's three family members came up with names for their band. Some of them were good and Jongup wrote them down, while others were ridiculous and would have the whole family laugh at their imagination.  
"Okay, I'm all out of ideas now," his mom announced and his father indicated the same.  
"What about  _rice_?" Jin Ae suggested jokingly. "You know, bap? Or, you could add an 'o' and change a little of the sound and you have _pabo_. You know? 'Idiot'?" she laughed at her own joke while they all sat, silently judging her. "Has Denmark ruined your sense of humor?" Jongup joked and Jin Ae's jaw dropped in feigned outrage.   
"Why, you little! How dare you speak to your lovable and hilarious Noona like that!?" Jin Ae snorted. Jongup smiled brightly and batted his lashes at her, silently asking for forgiveness. Jin Ae laughed and ruffled his hair affectionately.   
"No, but seriously, name yourself rice. Bap is a cool name. Just disguise it as an abbreviation of something? It could be like  _Best and Perfect_?" she suggested. Jongup could tell she was serious. She continued to mutter to herself and Jongup gave her a worried look. He could have sworn she said something along the lines of Himchan being perfect.  
"What? Can't I think he's perfect? I mean, have you seen his face? And he's nice as well. I wouldn't mind getting together with him I didn't have Martin," she defended herself. They all laughed at her. They hadn't met her Danish boyfriend yet, but she had talked a lot about him the few times they had talked on the phone. "Anyways, back to the subject at hand. Wouldn't it be a cool name? B.A.P?" she suggested and Jongup nodded in agreement. It would be pretty cool. He wrote the name down on a piece of paper and wondered when he could show the others. His favorites were B.A.P and Case.  
Just as Himchan and Yongguk entered the living room the doorbell sounded. Yongguk headed towards the kitchen, Himchan right behind him. They would grab some food on the way out while Mrs. Bang answered the door.  
"Yongguk, you have visitors!" Mrs. Bang yelled. Himchan felt his heart sink into his stomach and he turned to look at Yongguk with wide eyes. He quickly indicated he would go back to Yongguk's room and wasn't there if he knew who was there. Himchan rushed to the room, ignoring the curious look he got from Mrs. Bang. He sat down on Yongguk's bed and focused on keeping as quiet as possible. Whoever it was, he had no intentions of being seen with Yongguk. He still had an image to keep, and if it was someone he knew, they would question the hood too. He jolted in surprise when his phone went off. He reached into the front pocket of his hoodie and pulled the device out. He answered the phone after checking the ID.  
"Bbang? What's up?" he asked. He made sure to keep his voice low enough so Yongguk wouldn't hear him wherever he was.   
"The guys are here. Do you have to talk it for a bit?" Yongguk asked. Himchan was thankful that Yongguk had decided to play along to his act of not being there.

Yongguk looked at the four friends he had made, standing in the hallway. He didn't understand shit. He looked at them in confusion. They hadn't planned a meeting, had they?  
What are you guys doing here?" he asked.   
"Jongup and his family came up with a lot of different names for us. We sent you a text but you didn't answer. We assumed you were with Himchan. Seems like we were wrong," Daehyun said. Yongguk pursed his lips thoughtfully. Could he risk calling Himchan?   
"Chan isn't here. He's busy with something. We're meeting up at the club later, though," Yongguk explained, making up a quick lie.  
"Well, then we have to call him or something. I have some things to do at home," Youngjae said and Yongguk pulled out his phone. It would have to be alright.   
The phone didn't ring for long before Himchan picked up.  
"Bbang? What's up?" Himchan's voice asked. His voice was low and it was obvious to Yongguk he was trying to keep his voice down.   
"They guys are here. Do you have time to talk for a moment?" Yongguk asked.  
"Yeah, sure. Make it quick. I'm in the middle of reviewing some photos," Himchan replied, voice growing slightly. He couldn't be heard outside the phone still, so he was safe.  
"Cool," Yongguk commented and put the phone on speaker.  
"So, my family and I have come up with some possible names for our group during dinner. I thought it was about time we found a name. We need it for the song after all," Jongup told them and everyone nodded.  
"Well, let's hear the suggestions then," Youngjae said and Jongup started reciting the names he had written down during dinner.  
"I like Kozy," Youngjae said when he finished.  
"I like B.A.P best. I mean, come on. It's rice. That's like the best name ever. Food working as a band name," Daehyun commented.  
"That's my favorite too. Along with Case," Jongup agreed. Yongguk nodded and thought about the many names.   
"What do you think, Chan?" he asked Himchan through the phone.  
"B.A.P. It suits my perfection. I am the best and I'm absolutely perfect. In short, I'm absolute," Himchan replied sassily. Everyone laughed and Yongguk applauded how the low voice didn't take the edge of the sass.  
"Yeah, B.A.P sounds pretty good. Except more as Chan said; Best, absolutely perfect," Yongguk agreed.  
"Wouldn't _absolute_  sounds better?" Zelo asked. Yongguk blinked a couple of times, surprised about the kid speaking without Himchan around. It took him completely by surprise and he fell into a startled silence.  
"That's wonderful, Zelo!" Himchan interrupted the silence. "I'll go for that. Best, Absolute, Perfect. It's the perfect description of me," he continued with confidence. Yongguk laughed in return along with a couple of the others.   
"Well, what do the rest of you think?" he asked.   
"I still like Kozy better, but B.A.P sounds good too. It has an edge to it," Youngjae said, nodding.   
"I'm all in for rice," Daehyun agreed. Jongup showed his thumbs pointing upwards and Zelo nodded silently.  
"Well, Best, Absolute, Perfect it is then," Yongguk concluded.  
"Good. Now Jongup, please give Zelo a pat on the shoulder for his genius breakthrough. And thank your family as well. I need to go. Talk to you all soon," Himchan said and the line went dead before anyone could interrupt him.   
"Well then. I need to go too. I have stuff to do," Youngjae said and the group told their goodbyes before going their own ways.

"Chan, what's wrong? Why won't you take your hood down? We're alone," Yongguk asked. He was concerned for his friend. Last time he had hid in his hood like this, it had been because he was hiding his identity and bruises from their fight. He was worried for the boy.  
"No reason," Himchan claimed with a mutter.  
"But I want to see you," Yongguk pleaded. He had noticed there was a limp in his step and his mouth was set in a grimace every time he moved his left arm. "Please, Chan," he begged and reached out to take off Himchan's hood. His hand was slapped away and he could see Himchan's jaw grit and tighten in the shadow.  
"Drop it, Bbang," Himchan ordered him, but Yongguk was not about to give up. After letting a silence settled over them for a while, he reached out and pulled the hood down before Himchan could react. The sight that met him shocked him. A blue mark adorned Himchan's left eye, his right temple and a bump on his forehead had ruined the usual perfection. Himchan scrambled to pull the hood back up but the damage was done.  
"Who did this to you?" He asked, voice barely more than a whisper.   
"No one," Himchan claimed. Yongguk wanted to laugh if it wasn't because the situation was so serious. Obviously, it had to be  _someone_.   
"Himchan, please. We both know that's not true. Tell me what happened," Yongguk pressed on, wanting to know who did such a horrible act to his friend.  
"No one! Yongguk, please. Just drop it. Nothing happened," Himchan exclaimed exasperatedly. Yongguk was struck by the use of his own name. Himchan had always called him Bbang. Himchan was serious, but Yongguk even more so.   
"Himchan, I can't just let this pass. You're hurt. You have a blue eye and you grimace every time you move your arm. I noticed your limp too. Someone has beaten you and I don't even dare think about how the rest of you look. I'm worried," Yongguk told him. He was trying to convey just how much he cared for Himchan. He wanted to be there for him. And the version of Himchan he saw before him was not the one he wanted his friend to portray.  
"It's not bad," Himchan started and Yongguk was about to argue. It was definitely bad. "I've tried worse, so please, just please, drop it. I don't want to talk about it. This is my personal business," he continued and Yongguk's jaw tensed hard enough to make his teeth grind together.   
"I'm your  _friend_. It's my job to help you with your personal business. It's something I want to do as well," Yongguk argued back. Every bone in his body was begging Himchan to tell what had happened.  
Yongguk could tell his friend was about to snap. He looked angry yet determined.   
"Fine. I'll tell you what happened," Himchan gave in with a snap. If it hadn't been because Yongguk wanted to see blood, he would probably have been scared by his friend's attitude. Himchan stood up quickly, wincing at the movement. He limped his way to the door and Yongguk rushed to follow him. He was slightly confused. They were perfectly alone in the backroom, yet Himchan was leaving. Not a word was said while they continued through the club and onto the street. Yongguk was even more confused. He didn't dare ask in case he would make Himchan change his mind about telling him. Several streets were passed before Himchan stopped up. He turned around and eyed Yongguk closely. Yongguk started fearing he had ruined their friendship with how Himchan was looking at him.  
"Before we go on, you have to promise me a couple of things," he told him. He seemed very serious. Yongguk got a feeling it was a life or death situation. He was confused but nodded nonetheless. "First, I don't care about what you think, what you feel, or what you want to do. You will do nothing. You won't do anything. And you will not say as much as a word about this either.  _Nothing_ ," Himchan told him and Yongguk agreed instantly. He didn't know what he was agreeing to, but he was going to do it for Himchan. He wanted to help him, however, he would be able to do so without telling anyone about it or doing anything. "Second, if I tell you to go, you will do so. You will leave. I won't hear any arguments. I will see you  _go_. You  _will_  leave me behind and you will follow my orders no matter what," Himchan continued and Yongguk nodded. He was growing more and more anxious with what Himchan was requesting from him and he was extremely nervous as to why a promise like that was necessary.  
"Why would I need to-?" Yongguk asked, but the look he received from Himchan was enough to shut him up.  
"You will do as you're told, or I'm not going to tell you anything. Do you promise me?" Himchan asked, looking Yongguk dead in the eye despite his swollen eye socket.  
"I promise," Yongguk said firmly, albeit reluctantly. The hooded boy nodded and started walking again. They passed another block and Yongguk realized he knew the place.   
"Wait, isn't this the way to Jongup's place?" Yongguk asked. He felt a dreadful feeling wash over him as he realized it  _could_  be Jongup who had done this to Himchan. When Himchan nodded, Yongguk got a terrible taste in his mouth. He couldn't quite believe it. "Don't tell me he did this to you," Yongguk almost begged. Jongup was so innocent and kindhearted. He couldn't imagine Jongup doing that to Himchan but there was evidence proving otherwise. Yongguk's bad feeling was slapped out of him. Himchan had hit his shoulder, hard.  
"No, Stupid. Of course not! I don't think Jongup could hurt a fly. He is one of those guys who traps a spider under a glass and uses a newspaper to let it outside," Himchan answered with a laugh. Yongguk let out a sigh of relief but the answer only left him more confused than before.  
"Why are we heading towards his place then? Does one of your friends live here or something? Is that what happened? Did some of your friends beat you? I will beat them up if they did," Yongguk fired himself up and Himchan laughed in response.  
"No, Bbang. Calm down. Even if they tried to, I'd be able to defend myself. You're not as strong as me, big boy," Himchan teased him. Yongguk filtered that idea out of his mind too. He didn't even have the brain cells to be offended. He was too worried about what Himchan was about to show him.  
They arrived at the street on which Jongup lived and Yongguk was about to walk towards his apartment. Himchan stopped him before he could turn.  
"We're not visiting Jongup. We're visiting me," Himchan told him and Yongguk's mouth dropped open in sheer disbelief.   
"You live  _here_?" he asked in surprise. Himchan went across the street from Jongup's apartment and pushed the door open to a stairway.   
"Surprise," Himchan replied dryly. Yongguk didn't understand anything. His friend couldn't live there. He earned a shitload of money for modeling. Himchan went up the stairs and stopped by a door. Yongguk recognized the family name. Himchan lived  _there_?

The place looked exactly like he had left it. It was a big fucking mess. Empty bottles laid scattered everywhere along with trash and clothes. The tables were covered dirty dishes and makeup. He had taken Yongguk to his mom's. He didn't know how stable his dad was, so he didn't dare enter that place yet.   
"Is this where you live?" Yongguk whispered behind him. Himchan nodded in response. Even the stale smell in the room was the same as it had been when he had left. The stale smell of old beer and alcohol was what reminded Himchan of home.   
"This is where I live with my mom. I live with my dad too. He lives up another hall," Himchan said and looked towards the couch. No one was sleeping. Luckily. Maybe his mother was out.

Yongguk was horrified. He had a strong urge to hug his friend, protect him and bring him with him home. He didn't though. He had promised Himchan not to do anything and he was going to keep his promise. He followed Himchan through the living room. It once was a living room at least. Now it proved to look more like a pigsty. Himchan opened the door to a small bedroom and he followed him inside. It was Himchan's room. There was basically nothing in there. There was a small stack of papers and books in the corner. A worn down mattress on the floor, a shabby old blanket, a worn out shirt folded up as a makeshift pillow, and a small chest. There were cracks in the gray walls and the only light came from a blinking bulb in the ceiling.   
"Why do you live here? Don't you earn enough money from your job to move to a better place than this? You could help in on the rent and stuff like that," Yongguk suggested. He couldn't quite wrap his mind around the fact Himchan lived like that.   
"That's exactly what I do, Bbang. My parents don't have jobs. I pay rent for both apartments. I pay all the bills for heating, electricity, water, food, everything," Himchan explained with a sigh.   
"But, from what you've told me about your salary, you have enough to..."  
"No. There's practically nothing left. Did you not see what was in there?" Himchan asked and pointed towards the living room. "There's empty bottles of alcohol everywhere. The white powder on the coffee table is not sugar. It's cocaine. There's ecstasy, weed, speed, basically everything in this apartment and my dad's isn't any better," he explained. Yongguk was trying to keep up with the information he was being given by Himchan. Himchan's situation was fucked up. "I work to pay for their needs and addictions and all the shit they've ended up in. If you haven't guessed it yet, they were the ones who beat me. Whenever something isn't exactly according to their will, I become their punching bag. If I don't have the money ready when they need it, it gets worse. The only reason I'm able to go to school is due to my scholarships. This is my life, Yongguk. It's not fancy or anything. I work to pay for my parents and their shit and I get beaten in return," Himchan finished. Yongguk was all too aware of the hole Himchan was in. He noticed no tear was in his friend's eyes. He was still trying to process everything he had been told. Not only had he gotten a lot of information, but his very idea of Himchan's core values needed a readjustment too. It wasn't something that happened from one second to the other. Yongguk slowly reached an epiphany.  
"This is why your music is so sad," he deduced. Himchan nodded. "It also explains why you refused to let anyone walk with you home. It explains why you never invited us to your place. This explains a lot of things," he continued and Himchan nodded again. Yongguk closed his mouth and looked down as he thought over the situation, the very private part of his life, Himchan had opened up to. Yongguk took a couple of steps forward and pulled Himchan into a tight hug. He was attempting to convey his feelings for his best friend through the hug. He knew it wasn't as efficient as Himchan's music, but he hoped the hug would let Himchan know he would be there for him, that he cared for him, and that he wanted to help him. He felt Himchan hug him back. Yongguk squeezed a little tighter and let Himchan stand in the comfort.

Their moment was ruined by the slam of the front door bounding off the wall.


	22. Chapter Twenty Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Verbal abuse

“Don’t come out before I tell you to, understand?” Himchan told Yongguk with a serious gaze. It was unlike anything Yongguk had seen before. It was strong and his friend grew several years older with that sentence and look. He nodded.  
“No, I need you to say it out loud,” Himchan said to him.  
“I won’t come out before you tell me to,” Yongguk said, promising to stay there. His friend nodded and went out of the room, closing the door behind him. He was worried and felt sick to his stomach. He had promised his best friend not to come out, and therefore not help him if his mother hit him or whatever she might do. The bruises and blue marks on Himchan’s body were proof that it had happened before.  
“Ah, Himchan. My lil' bitch. What happened to your fancy clothes?” a woman’s voice cut through Yongguk’s thoughts and he put it in his memory as Himchan’s mother’s voice. A reply was made, but Yongguk couldn’t hear what his friend had said. The woman chuckled loudly.  
“I saw your ugly face again today. You’re just everywhere aren’t you, you little whore,” her voice sounded with disgust. “How many did you sleep with to do it? Answer me slut!” she went on yelling and the sound of a hand meeting skin was heard. Yongguk stormed to the door and lay a hand on the handle when he remembered his promise. Reluctantly he let go of the handle and stepped back as he heard another harder slap.  
“Answer me, you little man-whore!” Himchan’s mother yelled and something smashed against the wall. Sounds of things being thrown around, hitting walls reached Yongguk. And then Himchan’s cry of pain echoed through the apartment. Something had hit him. Yongguk’s insides twisted and turned at the sound. The smashes and cries of pain continued for what felt like hours. With every sound, the promise became less bearable.  
The sounds suddenly stopped, leaving the apartment quiet. After a while of nothing, Yongguk decided to peek out the door despite his promise, and look into the living room. What met him stabbed a knife in his heart. In the middle of chaos and broken things lay Himchan with his mother next to him, whispering in his ear. A wad of the paper called money was fished out of Himchan’s pants and the bitch that was his best friend's mother stood up with a laugh, counting the said paper. “Thanks, Himchannie. Be a good boy and go fuck some old rich men. Or it’ll be worse for yourself,” she cooed and walked out the front door, oblivious to Yongguk peeking in the doorway. As soon as she was out the door, Yongguk rushed to Himchan’s side. His face was a mess. Blood was flowing out from several cuts. Heck, he could see little pieces of something in the cuts. This was cruel.  
“I told you not to come out before I told you to,” Himchan whispered with tears in his eyes as he lay helplessly on the floor. Yongguk’s eyes teared up as he heard his best friend’s broken voice. He looked as fragile as a porcelain doll just lying there. But his voice told him he already was broken.  
“I’m sorry,” Yongguk apologized, though it clearly wasn’t for breaking his promise. “How can anyone be so cruel?” he asked a tear falling down onto the face below him.  
“My mom. She’s not so bad usually. I’m sorry you had to listen to it. I shouldn’t have taken you home,” Himchan apologized his eyes empty of any emotion. Yongguk shook his head, disagreeing. This was like Himchan’s music. Broken, empty, lonely and hauntingly beautiful.  
“I’m glad you showed me. I’m sorry for what you showed me,” Yongguk told his friend. A short dry laugh escaped Himchan’s lips, followed by a wince in pain.  
“Help me up, will you?” Himchan asked with a smile and Yongguk saw first hand how the mask of Himchan slowly covered up the pained and empty eyes that lay on the floor. Nodding, Yongguk held out a hand and helped his friend up from the floor. With Yongguk’s help, Himchan walked to his room and got out a first aid kit, before going to a tiny bathroom with a broken mirror.  
Taking a pair of pincers, Himchan started taking out what looked like tiny pieces of porcelain from his cut skin, cringing from the movements. Yongguk watched silently, not knowing what he should do. He wanted to hug his friend, but he was afraid he would hurt him more than he already was.  
“What happened? Why..?” Yongguk couldn’t even ask the question.  
“She threw our last vase in my face if that’s what you wanted to know,” Himchan answered but it wasn’t exactly what Yongguk wanted to know. He didn’t want to know how his best friend’s mother had hurt her only son. “I’ll tell you the whole story another time,” Himchan continued with a dark cold voice. He was finished cleaning up the cuts on his face and proceeded to take on band-aids in different sizes. This clearly wasn’t the first time he’d done something like this.  
“You’re coming home with me,” Yongguk told him determinedly. Himchan looked at him in shock and opened his mouth to say something but Yongguk wouldn’t let him. “You’re coming home with me. You can stay the night. I’m not leaving you here tonight, knowing that woman might come back,” Yongguk continued and something moved in his friend’s eyes. Tears were welling up again.  
“I-” Himchan started but didn’t get more out.  
“No buts. I’ll carry you if I have to,” Yongguk denied him the right to speak. Himchan smiled a small weird smile and nodded, muttering a small thanks, followed by Yongguk’s name, which made it the second time since they’d become friends.

“Who the fuck is that?” Youngjae asked everyone and anyone when he, Jongup, Zelo, and Daehyun entered the recording studio in which Yongguk and Himchan were supposed to meet them. But only Yongguk and some guy in baggy clothes, cap, and hoodie drawn up were there. Himchan was nowhere to be seen. Yongguk chuckled slightly and looked at the hooded person who shook his head.  At least Youngjae thought it was a he. The person’s face was flooded in shadow.   
“Yeah, and where’s Himchan-Hyung?” Daehyun asked in wonder. The hooded person looked down into his lap, shook his head and twirled around in the chair he was sitting in so he was facing the many instruments on the table. Yongguk had now broken into a hearty laughter at the confused look from the younger boys. “Seriously Hyung, pull yourself together and answer man!” Daehyun told Yongguk when he just kept laughing.  
“I’m sorry, but this is great,” Yongguk apologized and wiped away a fake tear.  
“Yah, should we introduce you, eh?” he asked the person in the chair, still chuckling. The person twirled around again, shoulders shaking gently with a little chuckle emitting from the depths of the shadows.  
“Guys, I’d like to introduce you to a very good friend of mine. Since Himchan is sick today, I invited him to join us instead,” Yongguk started to introduce the person. Daehyun’s, and from the look on the other’s faces, them too, interest was sparked. He didn’t know of this sudden friend. Yongguk didn’t have a lot of friends. He tended to scare most people off before they could see his soft gummy smile.  
“Yah! Stop playing with them,” the person scolded Yongguk. It was a rather deep voice. And it sounded really familiar in some way.  
“Sorry,” Yongguk apologized to the guy, bowing his head slightly, still smiling and faced the four youngest members.  
“This is my very good friend, Chan,” Yongguk introduced and four jaws dropped simultaneously. 'Chan' gave them a wave, but Daehyun, Youngjae, and Zelo still didn’t get anything. Jongup looked like he had finally caught up and a smile bent his lips upwards at the joke that was being pulled off.  
“Wait, wait, wait. Hold up. Wasn’t Chan Himchan? So who’s this Chan?” Youngjae asked confused, voicing what two others had in mind at that moment.  
“Yah, Bbang. They don’t get anything,” the hooded guy laughed at Yongguk before turning his head towards the confused three.  
“I’m the almighty Himchan” he explained in a lighter voice and the remaining three’s jaws dropped to the floor, finally getting that this was Himchan in some very different clothes.  
“Now before you ask, yes this deep voice is different from what I usually use but it is actually my real voice,” the still hooded Himchan answered an unspoken question. “And yes, I willingly wore these clothes. Promise not to tell anyone, but this is way more comfortable,” Himchan admitted and everyone in the studio couldn’t help but smile at the model’s confession. This really wasn’t what they were used to seeing.  
“Now that we’re all introduced, should we get going then?” Yongguk asked clapping his hands together in anticipation. Five heads nodded in agreement.  
“Should we practice it first in here, so we’re sure everyone’s got it right?” Himchan suggested and Yongguk nodded thoughtfully.  
“Good idea Chan. Everyone, out with your lyrics. Chan, start the music,” Yongguk ordered. Himchan nodded and twirled around in his chair while everyone scrambled to get out the lyrics and formed a circle with Yongguk, leaving an empty space for Himchan. The latter counted down and hit the play button, joining the circle with a limp that went unnoticed by most, except Yongguk and Jongup. Yongguk started with his little intro part. Himchan gave Zelo an encouraging smile just before his part came up and the youngest but tallest boy did his part, shakily in his part of the intro, but gained confidence when the real rap started. He did it flawlessly. Yongguk took over and rapped his part. Youngjae took over with his part, singing with confidence. Daehyun took his part, singing perfectly without waivers in his voice like Yongguk had heard him have when his friend sang in front of people that weren’t his closest friends. But maybe they had grown close enough for his friend to sing comfortably.  
They finished the song and Yongguk was smiling his widest and brightest gummy smile. Himchan was wearing a smile in the shadows of his cap and hoodie as well. Heck all of them were smiling brightly. Singing and rapping together had felt great. Zelo’s heart was swelling with happiness. He truly felt like he belonged with these people.  
“That was perfect,” Yongguk complimented them all, making everyone’s smiles brighter.  
“Should we get started recording then?” Youngjae said excitedly. He really liked this feeling. Getting used to it wouldn’t be a hard thing to do. Yongguk nodded and announced he would go first so he could show them basically how it would go down. Himchan sat down in his chair again as his best friend went into the recording booth. After pushing a couple of buttons, he was ready to record. Yongguk showed a thumbs up from the other side of the glass and Himchan started the music and pressed record. It finished up soon enough, as it wasn’t a long song and Yongguk came out so they could listen to the recording together. The music blasted through the speakers in the room, Yongguk’s voice added now.  
“Try the intro again. You’re not-” Himchan started but was interrupted by his friend.  
“-giving it enough.” Yongguk finished and Himchan nodded. The last four members of B.A.P sat on a couch, looking at the two working and being so... professional. Yongguk went back in the booth and tried the intro again. When he came out again, the song was played again and this time the two eldest nodded satisfactorily at each other.  
One by one, everyone did their parts, Himchan and Yongguk guiding them when they needed it until, finally, it was Himchan’s turn. His lines were short and he did it perfectly the first time, so suddenly they were finished, the four youngest sitting on the couch and the two oldest sitting in each their chair. Himchan the big comfy black one, while Yongguk got a wooden one. They sat in silence, simply taking in what they had just done together until Jongup broke it.  
“Himchan-Hyung, why are you limping?” the usually silent boy asked, making both Yongguk and Himchan tense up. “Your movements show that you’re hurt somehow as well,” Jongup added and noticed Yongguk looking worriedly at Himchan. The latter simply sat in his chair, doing nothing. Saying nothing. There was a tense silence settling over the studio and Himchan wasn’t talking. Not saying anything to make it better or brush off the sudden worries that everyone had. It was surprising. Himchan always had something to say.  
“I have no intention of telling you Jongup,” Himchan finally said calmly. Neutral.  
“How badly are you hurt, Hyung?” Jongup asked pressing on despite the very clear message from said Hyung.  
”Not too bad,” Himchan said without going into further details. The four on the couch were all showing concern now and they clearly weren’t satisfied with the answer. All of them had come to care about Himchan the last few weeks.  
“That’s not good enough,” Daehyun declared and suddenly he was next to Himchan, taking his hood and cap off him.  
The sight shocked the four youngest of B.A.P. Himchan’s face was scarred and bruised. That face that had always been in perfect condition was ruined. Daehyun backed away a step to really look at the person in the black chair, who had closed his eyes. After a minute or so of staring, Himchan opened his eyes and Daehyun backed up to the couch. The look in Himchan’s eyes was scary. It was a glare that made Daehyun fear for his life. The hairs on the back of his neck rose and suddenly his palms started sweating in fear of the older boy. Every other person in the room felt the same fear, shuffling uncomfortably under the look.  
“Daehyun,” Himchan started in a low voice, laced with threat. “When I avoid a question, there’s a reason for it. Do not, for one moment, think, that I ever do something without a clear reason to do it,” he continued, making everyone feel the chills at the deep cold voice. Himchan met Daehyun’s eyes for a while, making sure the message had sunk in and when he was satisfied, he went on to Youngjae and Jongup. Even Zelo got a look from him, though it was much gentler than the previous looks he had given. He then turned to Yongguk, gave him a warning look as well, which was returned with a nod. Satisfied, Himchan let his glare fade away and some of its normal glint came back.  
“Can we ask how this happened?” Youngjae asked after a while of silence.  
“I got into a fight,” Himchan answered simply.  
“You’re not telling the entire truth, Hyung,” Jongup commented.  
“I don’t intend to tell you the entire truth. This something I don’t want to drag you into,” Himchan told him. There was something with Himchan, Daehyun observed. The older boy had a look of determination and sadness yet everything was so... adult-like. He was like his own parents. Yet something in his eyes told Daehyun Himchan had seen more than his parents had ever seen.  
“Secrets tire the mind and body,” Jongup stated, reminding the bruised boy of their talk not too long ago. Himchan nodded, indicating he remembered.  
“I appreciate your thought and care for me. All of you. I really do. But this is neither the time nor place to start telling you unimportant details about me or my life. There are more important things at hand,” Himchan told all of them with such a mature voice that struck admiration in the five boys listening. Yongguk was outraged as well. His friend had spoken of his parents abusing and using him as an unimportant matter, but the mature voice showed his friend was strong. It was scary in a way how someone could be like that when one thought of what he was going through. And for how long was a question still unanswered in Yongguk’s mind.  
“And one of the things that are more important, is something you will all be surprised to hear,” Himchan told them in a lighter and happier voice, lifting the mood of the room almost instantly. Everyone waited for him to go on, eager to hear happy news.  
“You all did very well today. I’m really proud of you,” Himchan told them in a fond voice, warming hearts in the entire room, and Yongguk nodding in agreement.  
“Okay, it is pretty surprising to hear you praise someone other than yourself,” Youngjae laughed and Himchan gave him a happy wink in return.


	23. Chapter Twenty Three

Youngjae sat in front of his computer typing away, furiously. Every once in a while, he would stop up, read what he had written, change some stuff and then start typing again. He was on a mission. Mission 'design-a-contract-that-prevented-him-from-getting-married-without-his-consent'. Oh god, I’ve been spending too much time with Daehyun, he realized, mentally shaking his head at the older guy’s weird mannerisms. He continued typing away for another five minutes, ending up with two pages of endless words. It was a lot, but it was needed to outwit his parents. The fact that his parents thought he was basically useless with these kinds of things only helped though. After years of trying to prove the opposite, he would finally have use of being a 'dimwit' as his father had called him once. They would be stupid enough not to have a lawyer look through it, which would mean they’d be fooled by this little contract with some terms about wedding him away.  
Starting from the beginning, he read through the long list of terms and conditions in his contract. He had several spelling mistakes and some places he had forgotten a word. Correcting it, he read on. A small chuckle escaped his lips as he thought of how the many hours, years, of tutoring he had had in contract writing. His tutor had told them he should be able to do better but had let out the detail that he was among the best he had ever taught. Which had resulted in scoldings from his parents, telling Youngjae he should to better. He had just slacked on. It was his best 'subject'. And now his parents were going to pay for not paying more attention to the work he had been doing. The lust to let out an evil laughter overwhelmed Youngjae. Suppressing it, he chuckled instead. This was going to surprise the shit out of his parents when they found out exactly what they’d signed. But first, he needed to finish it with as many misleading wordings as possible.

Five members of B.A.P were sitting at a table in the canteen, chatting together. Well most of them were. The three middle-aged were talking, the youngest had opened up a little and came with a comment every now and then, while the oldest sat silently like as a stone. Himchan wasn’t with them, as he sat at the table next to theirs with his other friends. They were talking loudly and oblivious to the people in the large room.  
“Himchan was dancing with a bundle of girls and a boy. It’s not like the boy was there for the girls, no. That boy was acting like all the girls, trying to grind his everything over Himchan,” a tall boy told everyone at the table, though basically everyone in the canteen considering how loud he was. Four of the five B.A.P members that weren’t at the table tried to ignore the story that was being told, while the oldest was gripping his chopsticks rather harshly.  
“And you, my shining knight in armor, came to save me from the attention my perfect self was getting,” Himchan continued in an over-dramatic voice. “Oh Minho, you saved me,” he finished off with a wave of his hand  
“Anything for you babe,” the tall guy, Minho answered flirtingly. Four B.A.P members looked worriedly at Yongguk, who looked very mad all of a sudden.  
“Have you fallen for me too now? Curse my irresistible perfection. Why am I the most handsome being that has ever stepped the rough soil of earth?” Himchan dramatically asked the surrounding people with a wink.  
“Did you enjoy the pleasures of being alone with me in the corner afterward?” Himchan asked seductively gaining laughs and chuckles from their table. A crack sounded from Yongguk, and the four youngest B.A.P members turned towards their oldest member who had broken his chopsticks, face red in anger. The two youngest tried to unnoticeably scoot away from the oldest, slightly scared.  
“Aren’t you scared?” Zelo asked Youngjae who smirked in return.  
“I have a bodyguard outside,” he replied casually.  
“Dude, what’s wrong with you?” Daehyun asked Yongguk, voicing the question that was in everybody’s mind. No answer. He just stared ahead, while Minho from the other table scooted closer to Himchan and laid an arm around his waist.  
“Oh, you know I did,” he answered Himchan with a wink, gaining more laughing and a very strained looking Yongguk.  
Daehyun pulled the broken chopsticks out of his friend’s hands with all his strength. In their place, he put a spoon instead.  
“He won’t break that,” he mumbled, making three younger boys laugh.   
“Minho baby, you have to watch out. I have many admirers. We can’t have them hurt, now, can we?” Himchan warned Minho teasingly with a wink. Four people looked with wide eyes as Yongguk bent the spoon in his hand in half. The two who hadn’t scooted away from the oldest member were eagerly doing so now as Yongguk let the deformed spoon fall down onto the table. Himchan and his table were oblivious to the happenings of B.A.P’s table. Himchan started flirting with one of the girls at the table, who whined about being left out.  
“No Himchan is mine,” Minho claimed, pulling the model closer to him.  
“Minho! You can’t keep perfection to yourself,” Himchan scolded him slightly, before adding flirtingly,  
“You’ll have to wait for later.” Four scared boys looked at a fuming boy, whose hands were clenched so tightly the knuckles became white.  
“Oh god, get yourself a room!” one of the boys at Himchan’s table yelled at the two flirting boys.  
“We intend to,” Himchan answered with a smug expression.

A loud bang sounded through the room and Daehyun ducked out of the way of a spoon speeding his way. Yongguk had hit the table with both fists, ramming into the spoon on the way, making it fly towards Daehyun. The entire canteen was dead silent, watching a fuming guy standing, staring angrily at the table whose inhabitants were loud and flirting until just a few seconds ago. Without a word, Yongguk freed himself of his table and stomped out the canteen in fuming silence. The silence in the canteen he left was a teacher’s dream.  
“What’s wrong with him?” Aron asked everybody and anyone, though mostly Himchan.  
“Don’t know. Don’t think about it. It’s just Yongguk,” Himchan answered, though internally he was worried. He couldn’t show that to his friends though.  
“I don’t get how you can be in the same group as him for that project. The dude is scary,” Minho said and shuddered slightly.  
“Nah, he’s a sweetheart,” Himchan denied smiling. “Though much rougher,” he added as an afterthought grinning. Groans and ‘oh god did you sleep with him?’ sounded from around the table.  
“Yeah, his bed is really comfortable,” Himchan answered the questions with a smirk on his lips as wolf whistles sounded from his friends.

Daehyun spotted the two youngest members walking out of school and an idea hit him.  
“Youngjae come with me!” he ordered the younger boy and pulled him with him. Daehyun went into his ninja mode, blending in with the shadows, as he followed the boy of his dreams and Zelo. He was completely unnoticed by his targets. Looking backward to get Youngjae to hurry up, he found his friend to be walking in the open without any precautions what so ever. Going over to his friend, he prepared to scold the boy for being so obvious.  
“Youngjae! What are you doing? You can’t just walk out in the open. They’ll get suspicious!” he scolded the boy. The said boy just shrugged his shoulders.  
“If they see me and ask what I’m doing, then I’ll just say I’m on my way home,” Youngjae answered with a shrug of his shoulders.  
“But what if they go to your house later on and find out this isn’t your way home!?” Daehyun asked hysterically, not believing his friend could be so stupid.  
“But this is my way home,” Youngjae replied, giving Daehyun a look telling him to calm down.  
“Oh,” Daehyun said completely relaxing. “Then we’re on our way to your house,” he concluded and walked with his friend instead of sneaking away in the shadows. Youngjae shook his head in disbelief and followed Daehyun as they stalked the two youngest of their team. He was quite happy that Daehyun had dragged him with him though. He wanted to see more of Zelo for some reason.

Jongup and Zelo ended up in the middle of a park and were dancing to the faint sound of music emitting from Zelo’s phone. Daehyun and Youngjae sat behind a bush not far from there, watching them through the leaves.  
“Why are we watching them from behind a bush, again?” Youngjae asked his friend.  
“Because we need to find out what Jongup does and likes so I can impress him,” Daehyun answered, his eyes not leaving the dancing boy of his dreams for one second.  
“You know we could just do that over a cup of coffee and cake? We don’t need to watch him,” Youngjae argued.  
“But then I wouldn’t be able to see him,” Daehyun fought back and the younger of the two rolled his eyes. “You really like him to the extent you need to stalk his every move? You know, that’s kind of creepy,” he told his friend who just waved him off and watched the 'love of his life' do a flip.   
“Why I joined you guys is beyond me,” Youngjae mumbled to himself and found himself watching Zelo again. He would be lying if he said he didn’t like being here with Daehyun stalking the two youngest of their little band.  
“You know, from previous encounters like these, I’ve found something about the music they dance to,” Daehyun began and Youngjae gave him a small slap, interrupting him from moving on.  
“You’ve done this before!? Daehyun, exactly how much do you like the guy? This is not normal! Confront him instead of this creeper sneaking around! Man up!” Youngjae scolded him quietly. “But I can’t tell him before I know he feels the same! Do you know how embarrassing it would be to be turned down?” Daehyun whined. “Plus, he didn’t respond when I kissed him,” he added quietly. Youngjae’s eyes went wide.  
“You kissed him!?” he whisper-yelled at the boy beside him in surprise. The said boy’s cheeks went red and a happy smile lifted his lips.  
“Yeah. Kinda. It was kind of impulsive,” Daehyun tried to explain. “His lips are really soft and perfect,” he added with a giggle.  
“Has he said anything about it yet?” Youngjae asked him, but Daehyun shook his head in answer.  
“He hasn’t said anything about that incident, at all, since it happened,” Daehyun confided with a twist of pain in his heart.  
“When did it happen?” his friend asked, worried at the sudden fall of the oldest’s face.  
“First dance practice lesson. I stayed behind because I couldn’t figure it out. A couple of things happened and I kissed him and ran away,” Daehyun told him, reddening.  
“What exactly happened?” Youngjae asked inquiringly.  
“Nothing that of such importance that it should be mentioned in this circumstance,” Daehyun said in a rush, suddenly using a very formal tone. Something important had happened, that was for sure, but Youngjae felt he shouldn’t ask what it was. The two watched the two dancers for a while more, without saying a word.  
“Can you please help me figure out some way to make him like me?” Daehyun asked in such a helpless tone it surprised Youngjae. He nodded in return, which made his friend smile widely from ear to ear.  
“Do you know what he likes? You could give him a small gift or something. We always give our business partners gifts of gratitude and blah blah blah. They appreciate our sign of good will,” Youngjae suggested and Daehyun’s face lighted up in excitement.  
“That’s a great idea!” he exclaimed a little too loudly and hurriedly slapped a hand over his mouth. “That’s a great idea,” he repeated in a whisper.  
“So do you know what he likes?” Youngjae asked and the older of the two’s face fell into sad folds again.  
“No,” Daehyun mumbled and the two went on to think of what Jongup could possibly like. the boy never spoke, so it wasn’t easy.  
“I give up!” Youngjae said. “I’ve known him for two years now, and I have no idea what he likes. The only thing I’ve ever heard him say besides what we’ve all heard him say, is ‘I don’t talk much’,” he continued and Daehyun frowned. Another silence fell over them.  
“I’ve got it! He listens to Chris Brown a lot,” Daehyun exclaimed, this time not too loud. Youngjae looked at him in surprise. “From my observance of him, he listens to Chris Brown a lot when he dances. I can give him a cd or something with Chris Brown,” Daehyun told his friend who nodded.  
“That’s a great idea! And keep wearing your new clothes as well. They look good on you, so it’ll surely reel him in,” Youngjae told him and the oldest beamed in happiness.  
“Great! Can you help me buy some more of these clothes because my sister is running out of clothes I can wear as well?” Daehyun asked and Youngjae broke out into laughter.  
“These are your sister’s clothes?” he asked laughing and Daehyun realized what he’d just let out.  
“Shut up Youngjae!” he growled sourly, but the younger just kept laughing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm feeling very bad that I'm not replying to all comments on this story. Usually, I make sure to spend a lot of time replying to comments on my stories. But since I'm not writing this alone and wrote it all with Kaiten, I don't feel like I can just reply to comments on my own, and we aren't exactly sitting next to each other most of the time as we once did. It just so happens it isn't like that anymore. So for those of you, who are used to me replying to literally everything, I still see you, and I still spass about your comments and it's what I look forward to. It's amazing to see so many, continuously, writing us wonderful comments on this story. It's literally every chapter that comes with a story, an analysis of what might happen later, and it's amazing. I just thought instead of 'ignoring' you all, I'd write a note, telling you just how much the comments mean to us. We even write to each other when one notices the comment before the other like "OH MY GOD! HAVE YOU SEEN WHAT THEY WROTE TO MIMED?!" and then we spazz about your comments, but forget to write replies. So just...know they are highly appreciated *^* ~Jack (MastressTickleBack)


	24. Chapter Twenty Four

“You ready?” Yongguk asked the other members of B.A.P. They were in his living room, ready to listen to the song Himchan and he had written and they had recorded. It was now finished, polished and everything. It was ready to be turned in the next day. To celebrate, Yongguk had invited all of them to his house for pancakes (a courtesy of his mother who was currently in the kitchen making them) and to listen to the finished version of what they all had worked on.  
“Just get on with it already Bbang!” Himchan exclaimed when Yongguk still hadn’t pressed the damned play button.  
“Chill, Chan, chill,” Yongguk replied with a grin and finally pressed play. A second went by and the song began. Six heads could be found in the living room, bobbing their heads along with the song. The song finished and all sat silently with wide smiles.  
“That was really good,” a female voice praised and six heads turned towards the kitchen door. Mrs. Bang stood with a wide smile on her face and a spatula in her hand.  
“Thanks, mom,” Yongguk thanked her with a gummy smile.  
“Did you write it?” she asked.  
“Chan and I did,” Yongguk answered pointing at the said person. Mrs. Bang smiled widely and gave Himchan a thumbs up.  
“It’s good to see you have other friends than Daehyun. I was getting worried my little Yonggukkie-boy would end up like a cat lady,” she said sincerely, with a small joke at the end.  
“Mom,” Yongguk whined. “Seriously? Can you not talk to me like that? I’m a guy!” Mrs. Bang laughed at his whining and went back to the kitchen while five boys laughed at their oldest member.  
“Oh Bbang, I love you mother. And don’t worry, we’ll make sure you don’t end up as a cat lady,” Himchan laughed at his friend who glared at him.  
“Shut it Chan, or I’m going to have to beat you up,” Yongguk threatened him, joking.  
“Oh, my dear Bbang. We both know I’m stronger and smarter than you, so good luck with that,” Himchan replied nonchalantly, making the four youngest break out into laughter at their older friends’ bantering.  
“Oh yeah? Come at me!” Yongguk challenged his friend, beating a hand on his chest.  
“You want a piece of me?” Himchan challenged him back with a butt load of sass.  
“Of course you do, it’s me,” Himchan answered his own question with a wink. “But do you want me to beat your ass up and hand it back to you?” he threatened.  
“Oh, please try,” Yongguk replied waving him closer. Himchan stood up and started walking towards him.  
“Well, I guess seeing I can give you that. You’re so desperate to have me closer, after having dreamt about me naked,” he said and walked over towards Yongguk who turned beet red. Another roar of laughter sounded from the four youngest in the room.  
“Okay, I’m gonna go eat some pancakes before you end up having sex,” Daehyun told them in a neutral tone and stood up, before grinning mischievously. The three youngest quickly stood up.  
“Totally following you man,” Youngjae announced grinning and the four youngest fled into the kitchen, leaving the two eldest behind. Himchan was laughing while Yongguk stood staring after his childhood friend, wishing he was as shy as he was when meeting new people.  
“Hey, that’s not fair!” Yongnam protested, suddenly being in the living room as well. “You can’t have sex with him without me!” he continued. Himchan roared with laughter, doubling over, while Yongguk’s face twisted in disgust.  
“Do you have any idea what you just said?” he asked his twin, whose grinning face suddenly dropped when he realized it. Himchan only laughed harder.  
“Oh, my foul tongue! What have I said!?” Yongnam exclaimed and ran out of the room in horror.  
“I love your brother,” Himchan gasped in laughter.  
“Hey! I’m supposed to be your best friend here!” Yongguk protested, jealousy twisting his gut.  
“Yeah, but you don’t have a sense of humor,” Himchan replied, straightening up while a glint in his eyes.  
“Yes, I do!” Yongguk protested.  
“If you do, then it’s horrible,” Himchan dismissed him with a wave of his hand.  
“Hey! Behave or I’ll mess up your hair!” Yongguk threatened and threw an arm around Himchan, who scoffed.  
“As I said. Horrible. Come on let's go get some pancakes before Daehyun eats them all,” Himchan told him and the two joined the others in the kitchen who were eagerly eating Mrs. Bang’s pancakes.

 

“You done, already?” Daehyun asked when they joined them at the table.  
“That was quick,” Youngjae continued before taking a bite of his pancake. Jongup, Zelo, and Daehyun started laughing hard, the oldest choking on his pancake. Jongup gave him hard claps on the back to help.  
“I can’t help it, Bbang doesn’t have a lot of stamina,” Himchan replied with a wink in Yongguk’s direction. The said person turned red and started protesting to the laughing bunch of boys. Even Mrs. Bang was chuckling as the next batch of pancakes arrived.  
”Mrs. Bang, these pancakes are delicious!” Daehyun complemented said person when the laughing had died down. He emphasized it by moaning in pleasure at a bite of one of the pancakes on his plate. Yongnam used that exact moment to enter. He blinked a couple of times at the sound escaping Daehyun.  
"I swear, this house is going to turn into a brothel with you guys around," he muttered before looking at the batch of pancakes. “Can I have some too?” he asked and reached out to grab a pancake. A sharp slap was heard as Yongguk slapped his brother’s hand.  
“No. This is only for the people who’ve participated in creating our song,” he told his brother with an evil glint in his eyes. He knew how much his brother liked their mom’s pancakes, but this was revenge.  
“But I participated too!” Yongnam protested. “I let Himchan borrow my guitar!” he pointed at Himchan, sounding like this was the most unfair thing in the world.  
“You wouldn’t share your popcorn with me either, so why should I share my pancakes?” Yongguk argued, starting to have the same ‘this is unfair’ childlike voice. Five boys sat chuckling quietly at the whiny deep voice their oldest member was emitting. It was pathetic. And his twin was just as bad.  
“Are they always like this?” Youngjae asked Daehyun in a low voice, smiling at the two brothers fighting.  
“Pretty much,” Daehyun answered with a nod. “As long as I’ve known them. Mrs. Bang said to me they were two little polite angels once though. But I’m guessing that’s back when they couldn’t talk,” he finished with a grin. Laughter emitted from everyone but the twins who were still fighting.  
“Yah, Himchan-Hyung. Can you shut them up? Even after knowing them for 15 years, I still haven’t figured out how,” Daehyun asked Himchan who grinned in return and nodded.  
“I’ll give it a try,” he said before turning to the two fighting brothers. “Jongup! Stop stripping!” Himchan yelled in feigned surprise. The two Bang brothers stopped their fighting to look at Jongup. The quiet guy sat in confused surprise. Youngjae and Zelo burst into laughter while Himchan grinned mischievously. Daehyun sat staring at the clothed Jongup, his imagination running away with him. He was thinking about what Jongup would look like if he did take his clothes off. Suddenly it was getting hot in the small kitchen. Yongguk and Yongnam turned towards the smirking Himchan.  
“He isn’t taking his clothes off,” they said in unison. “No, but apparently you want to see him do it as you were both very quick to look at him,” Himchan smirked evilly.  
“No!” Daehyun yelled standing up from his seat, surprising everyone. He seemed to realize what he’d just yelled out and quickly grabbed a pancake, sat down, and stuffed his mouth with it, prohibiting any form of speech from him.  
“What’s wrong with you?” Yongnam asked scratching his head. Daehyun only stuffed his mouth more pancake.  
“Nothing you should be concerned about Yongnam,” Himchan answered instead with a laugh.  
“Do you know what it is?” Yongnam asked, turning to Himchan.  
“Of course I do. I am Kim Himchan,” Himchan bloated.  
“Why did I even ask?” Yongnam wondered out loud and bowed to the model. “Please forgive my stupidity, oh, mighty perfect Himchan. What can I do to please my most favorite person?” Yongnam asked  
“Stop fighting with Bbang,” Himchan requested and Yongnam bowed deeply once again.  
“Anything for you, my dear Himchan,” he said affectionately. Yongguk punched his brother. “Ow! What was that for!?” Yongnam asked in an overdramatic voice.  
“Just get your pancake and go,” Yongguk told him with a raised voice. Yongnam grinned, grabbed a couple of pancakes and quickly retreated to the door.  
“Thank you, dear brother,” he thanked his twin and looked at Himchan. “You have my number, call me,” he told him, forming his hand like a phone and winked, before hurriedly running away.

 

Youngjae was lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling. He should be doing his homework, but he was simply not in the mood after coming home from Yongguk’s place. It had been fun. And hearing his voice through speakers had given him this amazing feeling he had never felt before. It was like being extremely satisfied and happy. It felt like he had accomplished something. What filled his thoughts when he didn’t force them away, was Zelo. That boy just wouldn’t leave his mind. When he closed his eyes, it was his face he saw. He could hear his voice, shy when speaking and with so much attitude when rapping. It was a bit weird, but he wanted to get to know the younger boy better. He wanted to know more, wanted to spend more time with him, wanted to stare at him. The feeling was so foreign to Youngjae, as he had never really had such an urge to be around someone before.  
Sure he had wanted to be around people without ulterior motives for as long as he could remember, but never had he wanted to be close, really _physically_ close, to someone. Not like this. Maybe I’m falling for him? Youngjae thought but quickly pushed the thought away. He wasn’t gay. He wasn’t bisexual like Daehyun either. Daehyun had told him that the same day he had told him 'the love of his life' was Jongup. But not Youngjae. Youngjae liked girls, he was sure of that. Rolling over he went back to thoughts of Zelo. It was weird how he never really left his mind lately. Maybe it was the shy boy’s movements. How different they were when he was dancing. Just like when he was rapping. He really had a lot of talent. Or maybe he just felt pity for the boy? No. It didn’t exactly feel like that. But he did want to get to know him better. Zelo seemed like an interesting and nice person. Someone who wouldn’t have ulterior means with what he was doing. An honest, though shy and nervous, person. Youngjae liked people like that.

 

Daehyun was nervous. He was waiting for Jongup in a park not far from where the younger lived. Earlier today, he had said he wanted to meet younger and the boy had complied. He had agreed said they could meet there in what would be two minutes. Daehyun was early. He had come half an hour early. He had changed his clothes into the stuff he and Youngjae had bought a couple of days prior. And he had his sister’s approval that he looked hot. Not sure if he trusted her on it, but at least he was attractive, hopefully. That was he prayed for at least. Looking at his watch, the hands neared the position indicating the time they were supposed to meet. Jongup could be here any minute. Any second for that matter. God, he was nervous. He checked his jacket pocket again. Yup, it was still there.  
“Daehyun-Hyung!” Jongup’s voice exclaimed behind him. Daehyun spun on the spot, a huge smile going from ear to ear on his face. He could feel how his heart beat faster as the younger neared him. Jongup greeted him warmly in his own silent way that was so wonderful and enticing for Daehyun. He admired the younger for that. The way he carried his body with so much peace and ease, the way he could talk with it like no other. If this was in some other time, Daehyun was sure Jongup would be worshiped as a god or saint. Daehyun would anyways. Heck, he did worship the younger boy. How could he not?  
“Hi,” Daehyun greeted him shyly, suddenly very self-conscious. Jongup sensed this and quietly asked if they should take a walk around the park together. Of course, he did so silently. Daehyun nodded and the two headed off, walking next to each other in silence. It was a comfortable silence that was enjoyed to the fullest by both sides. It also slowly gave Daehyun the courage to do what he came here for. The ultimate goal of asking to meet the younger.  
“You’re nervous,” Jongup remarked, breaking their silence by speaking out loud. Daehyun rubbed the back of his head and smiled shyly.  
“Yeah,” he breathed out, admitting it fully. Not that he could hide anything from the intelligent boy. Jongup stopped up and looked at him with an innocent and calming smile written on his face. His entire body told Daehyun to relax. It helped. Though it also made his heart beat faster. This was the first time they’d been alone together since Daehyun had kissed him (among other things that weren’t to be mentioned ever again). This atmosphere was so different from the last and even though Jongup was as sexy as always, today had an important meaning.  
‘You’ve been wearing new clothes lately’ Jongup said in his silent language.  
“Yeah,” Daehyun replied. “Do you like them?” he asked hopefully. That was why he was wearing them in the first place. Jongup nodded and Daehyun internally celebrated.  
“You look good,” Jongup told him out loud and the older of the two almost melted. Jongup had just told him he looked good. The love of his life had just told him he looked good!  
“Thank you,” Daehyun thanked him, blushing slightly. Oh God, he turned to goo in front of this boy. But he couldn’t help it. Jongup was just... Jongup. With a breath of preparation, Daehyun gathered his courage for what he wanted to do with this meeting. Besides seeing the love of his life.  
“I’ve got something for you,” Daehyun told him and Jongup looked at him in surprise. Taking this as his cue, he dug into his jacket pocket and found the gift he had prepared for the younger boy. Looking at it once, he held it out in both hands towards Jongup. “Here,” he told him. “It’s for you.” Jongup looked at the gift in surprise, a small smile on his lips breaking through. Taking it he looked at Daehyun.  
“Did you know it’s my birthday?” Jongup asked in wonder as he looked at the square package. Daehyun stiffened. Birthday? Today was his birthday? What? Fuck. Should he answer yes or no? No, best to tell the truth, he didn’t want to lie to this very special person.  
“No, I didn’t. I just wanted to give you this,” Daehyun told him truthfully, shy at his own words. The words made Jongup smile brighter though, so they must be good words.  
“How come you haven’t said it’s your birthday?” Daehyun asked curiously.  
“People make too much of a deal of it. But this is a very pleasant surprise,” Jongup told him.  
“Even more so, because you didn’t know,” he added and for a moment, Daehyun’s eyes played a trick on him and saw a slightly pink color in the love of his life’s cheeks. Jongup started to open the package, careful not to rip the paper into several pieces. Daehyun looked closely at the younger’s face as he saw what it was. It was a CD, on which it said ‘Chris Brown’ in Daehyun’s best handwriting.  
“Chris Brown? Is this a CD with Chris Brown?” Jongup asked excitedly. Daehyun nodded.  
“Yeah, it’s a mix of the songs I’ve seen you dance to mostly plus some others that I thought you would like to dance to,” Daehyun explained, once again rubbing the back of his head. Jongup beamed brighter than the sun and gave Daehyun the most beautiful smile he had ever seen.  
“Thank you,” Jongup thanked him in both spoken and silent language. “Thank you so much,” he repeated and did something that made Daehyun’s heart stand still for a moment. He wrapped his arms around the older boy, conveying his thankfulness through the warm hug. Daehyun’s heart sped at over a hundred kilometers per hour. The younger’s arms were heavenly. Strong and yet so warm and _careful_. After what seemed like an eternity, yet it was too short time, Jongup let go, beaming at him. Every cell of the younger’s body seemed to be lighted with happiness. The older of the two stood still in shock. The arms around his body had felt so nice, so warm, so loveable, so Jongup. The love of his life had hugged him, and it was the best feeling he’d had in his life. It was better than a thousand cheesecakes. Better than anything he’d ever had to eat before. Better than anything he’d done or tried or whatever in his life.  
“I will use this a lot,” Jongup told him smiling and looked at the CD with such a happy smile. Daehyun was a pile of goo. He couldn’t do anything but stare at the boy who had hugged him just seconds ago.


	25. Chapter Twenty Five

“Yongguk, can I talk to you?” Yongnam asked, sticking his head inside Yongguk’s room. The tone of his voice told the owner of the room that this was serious. Yongguk replied with a nod and Yongnam entered his room and plopped down on his bed.  
“What’s wrong?” Yongguk asked his twin, looking at him attentively from his chair. Yongnam looked nervous. This wasn’t a side he saw from him often. Usually, he was outgoing, funny, and terribly annoying and embarrassing, but he had a serious side to him as well. He was a softie at heart.  
“How do I begin?” Yongnam sighed and let himself fall backward. Yongguk rolled his chair to the bed and put his legs up beside his twin, who put his legs on his lap. This was how they talked when it was about something more serious. The twin with the problem on the bed, the other twin in a chair, holding and/or petting his legs in comfort as he listened.  
“I’m not sure I’m straight anymore,” Yongnam confessed, troubled. Yongguk waited for him to continue, despite the sudden twist in his gut, the worry in his heart. But this was his brother. Despite their little fights, he loved him.  
“Lately I’ve started to feel these weird things around this boy I know. Things I usually only feel around girls. But this boy,” Yongnam told him and sighed. “This boy. He’s different. There’s something about him. It’s kind of scary,” he continued and Yongguk hummed. His brother needed to get everything out right now, so he shouldn’t interrupt. Just show that he’s listening. “I haven’t known him for too long, but there is just something special to him. He makes me laugh, he is sarcastic and most of all he is an amazing person. He makes my heart beat faster if you get what I’m saying?” Yongnam looked up at him expectantly. Yongguk nodded. Yeah, he knew that feeling.  
“Sounds like you really like this guy,” Yongguk said. Yongnam sighed and let his head fall down onto the bed again.  
“Yeah. But he’s a guy,” Yongnam emphasized.  
“Does it matter that much?” Yongguk asked. “Just because it’s a guy you like, doesn’t change you as a person. You’ll be my stupid, annoying and useless brother no matter what gender you like,” Yongguk told him, putting a small joke into it to make his twin smile. It worked.  
“It’s nice to know what you think of me,” Yongnam commented sarcastically with a laugh and Yongguk laughed with him. “But thanks, Guk. Despite being dumb, violent and an idiot, you’re a pretty good brother,” Yongnam told his twin with a glint in his eyes.  
“Thanks, man. Thanks. Nice to know I'm appreciated,” Yongguk said dryly. They laughed.  
The two stayed like that for a while, not a word being uttered. Simply enjoying each other’s company. It wasn’t something they did often. Joking and insults were second nature to them.  
“Can you tell me who the lucky guy is?” Yongguk asked curiously after around five minutes of silence. Yongnam lifted his head and let out a ‘huh’. “Will you tell me who it is who’s turning your sexuality?” Yongguk repeated. His twin let his head fall back down.  
“I’m not sure I should tell you,” Yongnam told him, doubt laced his words. This sparked Yongguk’s interest.  
“I promise I won’t judge you in any way,” he promised his twin. A small silence filled the room. Yongnam raised himself into a sitting position.  
“Promise you won’t laugh or hate me now, okay?” he told his brother. Yongguk nodded at his twin’s words.  
“I promise,” he told him. Yongnam flopped back down on the bed. A sigh filled the air again.  
“It’s Himchan,” Yongnam told him. Yongguk’s blood froze to ice.

 

“You’re nervous,” Jongup remarked to the boy sitting across from him. Youngjae looked at him with a small smile and nodded. Nothing got past that boy. They were sitting at the cafe Youngjae frequented a lot. Jongup sat across from him and next to him sat Zelo. Yongguk was at home, Himchan was working and so was Daehyun. But Daehyun worked at this cafe, so he joined their conversation every once in a while (and ate cake).  
“Why are you nervous?” Zelo asked quietly and Youngjae’s heart skipped a beat. Why are you doing that lately? he asked it internally before brushing it away as nervousness.  
“I got a very important date with my parents,” Youngjae told them. “I think they want to marry me off to the daughter of one of our business partners. So I’m making sure they can’t make me, without certain criteriums being fulfilled,” he told them. Zelo opened his mouth to say something, but at that moment Daehyun arrived and plopped down in the seat next to Youngjae.  
“Youngjae, gimme some of your cake, I’m dying,” Daehyun ordered and reached for said person’s cake. Youngjae pushed his cake out of the way quickly.  
“Hell no. You’ve already eaten like half of my last slice. Pick on someone else!” he protested.  
“You can have some of mine,” Jongup offered and pushed his plate with half-eaten cake on it to the oldest of the four. A light pink hue colored Daehyun’s cheeks.  
“Thanks,” he thanked the younger boy and took the plate and fork. Youngjae chuckled at his Hyung’s behavior. It was so obvious he might as have a huge sign in neon lights, telling the world he had a crush on Jongup. He took a glance at the latter and studied him. Youngjae wasn’t the best at body language. His field was words and sentences, so he couldn’t quite make out what the young boy thought of the older, who had the world’s biggest crush on him. Well, he would find out some time anyways.  
“Daehyun! Customers!” Daehyun’s boss called, and the oldest of the four sighed and gave the cake back to its original owner.  
“Gotta go,” he told them and went up to the counter, back to work. The three sat in silence for a while, each of them taking a couple of bites of their cakes.  
“How are you going to make your parents agree on the criteriums?” Zelo asked, breaking their silence. He had gotten a less shy and more confident over these past few weeks of getting to know the others. Youngjae liked how the young boy was developing.  
“I’ve written out a contract. It took me some time, and I’ve read through it several times to make sure it’s perfect. The last step is to make them sign the thing,” Youngjae told them. “Which is what the goal for today is,” he said and let out a shaky breath. He was really nervous. If this didn’t work, he didn’t know what to do.  
“I’m sure it will go well, Hyung,” Jongup told him with a soft smile and a calming, yet encouraging voice. Youngjae smiled at him. This boy was a fantastic boy. Yet he only figured that out just recently. Ironic and kind of awkward, considering they’d known each other for so long.  
Youngjae finished his cake and looked at the time. It was about time to go.  
“I gotta get going,” he told the two younger boys. “My parents will be home in about half an hour and I need to be there,” he continued and stood up to take on his jacket. He sighed loudly. He was nervous.  
“Good luck, Hyung,” Zelo wished him and Youngjae’s heart skipped a beat. He was really nervous right now. But a smile stretched on his lips nonetheless.  
“Thank you Zelo,” he thanked the youngest and zipped his jacket. Jongup wished him luck silently as well. With another smile and a wave, he exited the cafe. It was time for him to convince his parents to sign a contract so he wouldn’t end up marrying Victoria or maybe someone else that he didn’t love. Call him a romantic, but he wanted to marry someone he loved more than anything else. Someone he could be with for the rest of his days, who made his heart flutter.

 

Zelo left the café shortly after and left Jongup alone by the table with a half-eaten cake. He decided to give that piece to Daehyun since he craved them so much. He took out his phone and plugged in one earplug and started to play the songs from the CD Daehyun had given him for birthday without actually knowing it. He was tapping his foot to the floor to the rhythm of the song when Daehyun had a 'break' again. He sat down in the chair opposite Jongup and took his plate with cake before greeting him.  
“What are you listening to?” Daehyun asked, mouth full of cake. “Oh and, do you mind if I eat this?” he added and swallowed the cake in his mouth. Jongup smiled widely at the boy in front of him and shook his head.  
“I was saving it for you,” he told the older boy and turned down the music a little bit. Daehyun’s face reddened a bit and hurriedly took another bite of cake.  
“What are you listening to though?” he asked after having regained his normal color again.  
“The CD you gave me,” Jongup answered and silently added that he loved it very much. This made Daehyun’s face brighten into a wide smile.  
“I’m glad you like it,” he told the younger who nodded with that lovely bright smile.  
“Daehyun!” Daehyun’s boss called for him and the older boy flinched.  
“Coming!” he called back and smiled sheepishly at Jongup.  
“Do you want to... um... hang out after I get off work?” he asked shyly, internally praying for a yes. Jongup nodded and fireworks exploded as Daehyun mentally threw confetti everywhere in celebration.  
“Great! I’m off in about half an hour, so... wait for me,” he smiled nervously and after getting a confirmation from Jongup he went off to serve some customers. His heart was beating so fast right now.

 

Daehyun and Jongup were walking side by side, talking, as they strolled through the park. Well, Daehyun was talking, rambling on, while Jongup soaked up everything and smiled. Every once in a while the younger would speak a single sentence, but it was always relevant and so well thought of, that it brought extra material for Daehyun to talk about for the next ten minutes. He was in love with one of the most intelligent people on earth, Daehyun was sure of that. Jongup was just so in control of everything. Every movement spoke of confidence in himself and being at peace with who he was. Every time he spoke, the words held the same kind of wisdom his body spoke of. It was a beautiful sight. It was beautiful to listen to. No matter what the younger boy did, was beautiful. Another beautiful sight caught Daehyun’s eyes.  
“Hey, let’s go buy some ice cream,” he suggested to the younger boy beside him who smiled and nodded. The two went over to the little ice cream parlor.  
“I’ll pay for you,” Daehyun offered Jongup who looked at him, studying him. After a couple of seconds, he nodded and gave him a smile. Daehyun was addicted to that smile. “So what do you want?” he asked the boy who looked at the different possibilities for a while.  
“Vanilla and strawberry,” Jongup told Daehyun who smiled in return and nodded. Meanwhile, his imagination flew away with him, of kisses that tasted like vanilla and strawberry ice cream. He went up to the counter and ordered two ice creams. One with vanilla and strawberry, the other with chocolate and cheesecake (they had cheesecake flavor! He was totally coming back there for more). After having paid and gotten their ice creams, they went off and found a bench where they sat and ate. They ate in comfortable silence, Daehyun relishing the taste of cheesecake flavored ice cream. Way too soon, his ice cream was totally gone though, while jongup wasn’t even halfway finished with his. The older of the two couldn’t help but look longingly at the ice cream. He was jealous of it. It got to touch Jongup’s lips. And he really wanted a bite of it.  
“Do you want to taste?” Jongup asked suddenly, and Daehyun couldn’t help the pleading puppy eyes on his face. The younger laughed at this and handed him the ice cream. Eagerly he took a taste of the strawberry ice cream. It was sweet. And Jongup’s lips had been there seconds before. After handing the ice cream back, Daehyun started blabbering again, filling the silence with his words. Jongup added things every once in a while, encouraging Daehyun to speak more. It was dimming towards nightfall when the sound of a text arriving interrupted their conversation. Jongup fished out his phone and read what was sent to him.  
“I have to go home now,” he informed Daehyun, who frowned. He didn’t want to let go of the younger boy yet. Letting out a disappointed ‘oh’, he looked down into the ground. A chuckle was heard from Jongup. “We should do this again sometime,” the younger told the deflated boy, making him look up with hope shining in his eyes. “I had fun. And I’m fond of your company,” he told Daehyun who was all smiles again.  
“Thanks,” the older thanked the younger. The latter chuckled again.  
“I’ll see you tomorrow. Thank you,” Jongup told him, touched his shoulder in such an amazing way that made butterflies dance in Daehyun’s stomach, before walking away with a wave and a smile over his shoulder.


	26. Chapter Twenty Six

_This is it_ , Youngjae thought to himself before turning the handle of his door and walked downstairs with two papers clutched in his hand. It was the contract. His parents had just gotten home. According to their schedule, that Youngjae had received by calling a couple people from the company, they had an hour at home before they would have to go again.  
“Mother, Father,” he greeted them when he entered the living room, just as they had sat down on one of the couches.  
“Youngjae, shouldn’t you be studying?” his mother greeted him back surprised.  
“I wanted to discuss a couple of things with you,” Youngjae answered and went to sit in the chair opposing the couch. He felt really nervous. “The implications of certain circumstances lately, have led me to an inner turmoil. The conclusion I have reached is that certain action must be taken from my part in order to avoid certain aspects and acquaintances of life. So,” Youngjae paused and put the contract he had made onto the coffee table. He slid it over in front of his parents and his dad picked them up to look at them. “I have composed this in order to salvage things I would like to keep under private terms. Of course, this is all under reasonable circumstances that will not affect the company in any way. It is mainly to calm the perception I have gotten of things,” he finished, looking at his parents expectantly.  
His parents looked at him with such eyes that he had never seen before. Surprise and wonder showed in them, but so did suspicion. He needed to get that out of them and make them sign.  
“This is a contract,” his dad commented holding up the two papers. Youngjae nodded. There was no need to lie about that.  
“You have taught me to keep all deals on paper,” he replied, trying to get them to think of how he always listened to what they said and did as told. His dad nodded slowly.  
“You have learned something after all,” his mom commented and gave him an odd smile. Slightly ironic, slightly humored. Thanks, mom, he dryly thanked his mom internally. Way to have faith in your child.  
“Your mother and I will look through this now,” his dad told him, holding up the contract. “You go up and study. We’ll call you before we leave,” his mother continued. Youngjae nodded. He could sense this was as far as he could go. Now all he could hope for was that the words on the paper were going to do the rest. He got up and left the living room, going back to his room. Closing the door behind him he let out a relieved breath. First part over. Now for the waiting and then the result. Hopefully, a happy and successful result.

 

Daehyun sat with Jongup, chatting away happily, in the canteen. They were waiting for the others to join them, but Daehyun was fully enjoying his alone time with the love of his life. He was in no hurry for the others to join them. Yongguk appeared at the entrance soon though and joined them at the table with a platter of food. He looked somewhat troubled, so Daehyun reluctantly turned his attention to his childhood friend.  
“What’s wrong, Hyung? You look troubled,” he asked his Hyung. Yongguk looked up from his food and a small smile appeared on his lips.  
“It’s nothing. Just a bit nervous. We’re getting the evaluation from our song back today,” Yongguk told him. Daehyun nodded. After knowing his friend for years, it didn’t sound like the real explanation, but let it pass. Yongguk would tell him when he was ready. Instead, he went back to rambling on endlessly, while shoveling down the poor remnants of his food.  
Himchan and Zelo appeared, with each their tray of food.  
“I’ll see you later,” Himchan told them and went off to his friends a couple of tables down, while Zelo sat down next to Jongup.  
“Yongguk-Hyung,” Jongup said, gaining everyone’s attention effectively. “You have to tell Himchan-Hyung to come sit with us more often. I miss him,” he told the oldest of the group. Yongguk nodded.  
“I’ll speak to him in music theory. I agree,” he replied to the usually quiet guy. Another weird smile spread on his face. Daehyun was now sure something was wrong. He needed to talk to his friend later when they were alone. For now, he would leave him in peace and eat. He looked down on his plate and frowned. There wasn’t any food left. How could this happen? He never had enough. Suddenly a plate half filled with food appeared in his sight and he saw the most beautiful hands in the world scrape half of the food onto his plate before disappearing again. Daehyun looked up at the sweet angel that sat across from him. Jongup gave him a sweet smile and continued to eat his own food. The food-happy boy smiled shyly and thankfully and dug into his newly gifted food happily. This was the best lunch he’d ever had.  
“Hey guys,” Youngjae’s voice greeted them and everyone’s heads turned towards the newly arrived boy who plopped down next to Yongguk with a huge smile on his face.  
“Youngjae-Hyung, where have you been all day?” Jongup asked. “And what’s with the creepy smile?” Daehyun added pointing with his chopsticks. The wide smile on Youngjae’s face was creeping him out.  
“Oh, you know, it’s just a lovely day,” Youngjae half sang, smile turning brighter and wider if that was even possible.  
“Care to elaborate?” Daehyun asked, giving his friend a look. Youngjae grinned.  
“I’m a pretty awesome person, did you guys know that,” he said, smiling proudly.  
“Dude, we have Himchan for that, don’t say he’s rubbed off on you,” Daehyun complained with a dreaded look on his face. Yongguk punched him in the shoulder harshly. “Ow!” Daehyun exclaimed looking at his oldest friend surprised.  
“What was that for!?” he whined, eyes wide. Yongguk glared at him shortly before returning to his food. Daehyun grumbled a little bit about mean and violent friends before turning back to Youngjae.  
“Okay, so I’ve had the suspicion that my parents were going to marry me off to this Victoria girl whose parents we’re working with. But my genius self has composed a contract that makes this a tad more difficult for them to just marry me off. Certain things need to be fulfilled first and it’s long and windy so I won’t go into details,” Youngjae explained excitedly. Four heads looked at him slightly confused and surprised.  
“But yesterday, I gave them the contract and they read through it while I was studying. And guess what. The fuckers fucking signed the shit,” Youngjae told them satisfied, grin wider than before.  
“They were going to force you to marry someone? So you have to make a contract in order to prevent that from happening?” Yongguk asked surprised. He hadn’t known about this detail of the younger boy’s life.  
“Well yeah. It’s business. Family matters are of the second, if not third, priority,” Youngjae told them. Daehyun was surprised, but then again, Youngjae had told him about his family.  
“It shouldn’t be like that,” Yongguk stated firmly with a weird look on his face.  
“Yeah, well that’s just how it is,” Youngjae replied shrugging his shoulders.  
“Great job though,” Daehyun told him, and the bright smile was back on Youngjae’s lips.  Jongup smiled at him proudly while Yongguk gave him a thumbs up.  
“It’s great, Hyung,” Zelo commented quietly and a weird feeling swelled in Youngjae’s chest.  
“Thank you,” he thanked them all.  
“But that doesn’t really explain why you aren’t here before now. You’ve missed two classes,” Jongup told him and Youngjae grinned in return.  
“I celebrated last night by staying up and playing video games. You have no idea how rarely I get to do that,” Youngjae told them happily.  
“Nerd,” Daehyun commented and he, Jongup and Yongguk laughed at him, while Zelo smiled brightly.  
“Hey, Zelo sweetie and you other people, it’s time to go to class,” Himchan said, having appeared by their table out of nowhere. All of them jumped slightly. Zelo nodded and scooped in the last of his food quickly. “And Youngjae, congratulations on standing up to your parents and showing them who’s the true genius, besides me. I’m proud of you,” Himchan continued. Five eyebrows raised in surprise.  
“You weren’t whispering and I have amazing hearing. I am Kim Himchan,” Himchan told them as Zelo stood up. “See you later,” he told them and the model and the tall boy went off with a wave and a smile.

 

Yongnam likes Himchan, Yongguk thought to himself as he sat at his desk, looking at the person his brother had the hots for. He was chatting, laughing joking, basically running a monolog with a bunch of his followers. Their teacher was late, so everyone was still loud and obnoxious. Yongguk chuckled slightly to himself. It wasn’t long since this scene would have pissed him off endlessly, with Himchan’s way too loud voice ringing through the room. But now he wished that the boy was talking to him instead of all those lifeless dolls that followed his every move and word. He wished his best friend was chatting and joking with him. He wished Yongnam didn’t like Himchan, because so did he. And now he didn’t know what to do. Yongguk loved his brother, his twin brother. But a part of him despised his brother for liking the same person he did. And that was wrong.  
“Sorry, I’m late,” their teacher called, interrupting his thoughts. Everyone scrambled to their places, Himchan sitting down next to him. That was something they’d done ever since the project had stopped. Sitting together. It was nice and Yongguk’s heart fluttered a little every time Himchan chose to sit next to him. The teacher laid her things on the table and turned towards the quieting class.  
“Are you excited?” she asked with a twinkle in her eye. Some mumbling was heard. “Well, I am. I have chosen the best five songs for us to hear. They have most of the elements I asked for and one of them is particularly well done. But we’ll get to that later. First I want to congratulate you all on a project well done, I’m pleased with what I’ve heard. Some of you could earn a living out of this if you ask me. Give yourself a round of applause,” she told them and everyone started clapping.  
“Okay, first up is Woohyun and Sunggyu’s song 'Hold Me',” the teacher started when they’d quieted down again and Yongguk started to tune her out and looked at the boy beside him. At first, he’d liked him as a friend. Well not completely as a friend, Himchan’s music had enchanted him. But Himchan was his music. It was raw and unmasked Himchan and he fell in love with that. He fell for the raw Himchan that lay behind the tall walls he had built to protect himself. For the Himchan that fought with those horrible parents, a job, school and keeping up a happy face for all to see. For the guy that helped out others who were in need even though he had it as bad as they did. Yongguk admired him on top of everything else. The music in the background stopped and the teacher started speaking again but Yongguk was gone in his own world of Himchan. And soon the music started up again as he kept staring out of the corner of his eye.  
At first, he’d been scared of liking guys. But he’d known Daehyun almost all his life and he went both ways, so it wasn’t a disaster. The fact that his friend wasn’t a bad person or a disastrous weirdo, helped. Well besides the fact that he had a weird love for cake, but that didn’t have anything to do with sexual orientation. At least not what Yongguk knew of. But it had still scared him a little bit. When his brother had come in, asking for help because he’d started liking a boy, he had thought he’d have someone to confide in. But then he’d dropped the bomb. Yongnam liked Himchan too. At that moment, Yongguk hadn’t cared. He had wanted Himchan. At that moment all his speculations seemed silly because he wanted to be with the slightly younger guy. No doubt was present anymore. But now that he thought about it, what was he going to do? He couldn’t tell his brother, that would break his heart. Hell, how could he even try to take Himchan away from his brother? He should encourage it instead. But he couldn’t do it. He wanted him to himself, as selfish as that sounded. Maybe he could...  
An elbow in his side pulled him from his thoughts. Himchan indicated to the teacher and Yongguk heard their names being mentioned.  
“This is one of my absolute favorite tracks. Himchan and Yongguk have really used all the elements needed and they’ve come up with a fantastic song. The mixture of people singing and rapping is also very good and they’ve found some people who are really talented at what they do,” the teacher told the class. Himchan and Yongguk looked at each other and grinned. They were going to tell this to the others later. “But enough talking from my side. This is their song ‘Fight for Freedom’,” she told the class and pressed play on her computer. Their song blasted through the speakers and Yongguk saw several people in the class nodding their heads or tapping their feet or hands along with the beat. It felt good to see all his classmates enjoy the song he and Himchan had worked so hard on. When it finished, people clapped and their teacher gave them each a paper with her evaluation on it. Going back to her desk she started talking about the last song.  
“We’ve done well, haven’t we,” Himchan spoke quietly, with a small smile on his lips.  
“Yeah,” Yongguk breathed in reply and smiled. “We should show the others the evaluation paper, I think they’d like that,” Himchan suggested and Yongguk nodded. He agreed.  
“Do you have time to go to the club tonight? We could celebrate?” Yongguk asked.  
“But we have school tomorrow,” Himchan replied a tad confused.  
“We won’t drink. Just talk and enjoy the music,” Yongguk told him.  
“Sure that’d be nice. I’ll be there at 7, I’m hanging out with Aron and the others ‘til then,” Himchan agreed. Yongguk felt a stab of jealousy, but it was completely replaced with joy. This might as well have been a date. But then again, it wasn’t. They were friends. And his brother liked Himchan.  
“Awesome, I’ll be there by then,” Yongguk confirmed and reached an inner conclusion at the same time. If Himchan liked Yongnam back, Yongguk wouldn’t interfere. No, he’d be happy for the two, or at least try. But he’d try to charm Himchan himself. However you did that to a boy.


	27. Chapter Twenty Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Graphic description of violence

“Daehyun-oppa, you’ve dressed really nice lately,” Seo-Young complemented Daehyun, sitting almost up in his face. He was scared shitless. She was way too close.  
“And you haven’t been wearing your mask as often in the cafeteria. You really shouldn’t wear it all the time, you look really handsome,” she continued while Daehyun sat stiff and internally prayed that someone would come save him. Like Yongguk usually did. But he had class at the other end of the building this time, so he probably wouldn’t come.  
“And really, with these new clothes. Have you been dressing up for me, oppa?” she asked and fluttered her eyelashes flirtingly.  _No, I have been doing this for someone who’s cuter, nicer and better in every single way than you_ , Daehyun internally answered, but couldn’t get the words out of his mouth. Seo Young scared him.  
“The way you’ve been styling your hair too. Oppa you look so handsome,” she went on and reached out to touch his hair. Daehyun leaned away from the approaching claw that was Seo Young’s. ‘HELP!’ he screamed out silently to the world, hoping that anyone could hear him and come rescue him. Where was Yongguk when you needed him? She touched his hair and her dreaded claws ran through it a couple of times before retreating. Daehyun opened his eyes and was once again met with the awful sight of Seo Young and her boobs that she was basically trying to push up into his face. Why him?  
“Oppa, you’re always so quiet. Is it because you like me?” she asked and fluttered her eyelashes. Ice hit his body. Like her!? Never! How could she even think that? She was awful. Horrible. A monster. How could she ever think something like that when Jongup existed? The beautiful, cute, handsome, sexy, adorable, strong, friendly, nice, sweet, good-looking, perfect, lovely and loveable creature that was Jongup. And he could find loads of more words, but Seo Young was leaning closer. He didn’t want to be here. He wanted to be with Jongup. The love of his life. The sweetheart that had captured his heart. The handsome boy of his dreams.  
“Daehyun-Hyung,” Jongup’s voice called and Daehyun whipped his head in the direction it had come from. There, in the door to his classroom, stood Jongup in all his confident and almost-silent glory. His prayers had been heard and his heart fluttered at the sight of the love of his life coming to rescue him. Even though he’d like to save Jongup one day, this was more than fine as well.  
“And who are you?” Seo Young snapped at Jongup. Daehyun was enraged. How could she speak like this to Jongup!?  
“Jongup, Sunbae-nim,” Jongup answered neutrally, not a hint of annoyance or anything like that in his body language. He was at ease as always. The younger boy simply silently told him that the Hyungs and Zelo were waiting for him. How he loved and admired this boy.  
“And what does that make you? Nothing, so go away! Oppa doesn’t want us to be interrupted,” Seo-Young scolded Jongup and Daehyun had finally had enough. He was going to tell this girl exactly where she stood and who this magnificent boy was. She should be glad he was talking to her!  
“Daehyun-Hyung doesn’t like you,” Jongup stated before Daehyun could say anything though. “You can see the way he holds his body that he doesn’t like you. He’s mad at you right now. On the other hand, he’d like to go with me, as he enjoys my company,” Jongup told her, voice still as neutral as if they were talking about the simplest facts. Daehyun’s rage seeped out of him, like air out of a balloon, as he couldn’t help but look lovingly at the younger boy. He was intelligent and had a brain that was quick and observant.  
“Come, Daehyun-Hyung. We should go see the Hyungs and Zelo,” Jongup motioned for him to come and Daehyun grabbed his things and went with him. Before he went out the door he caught a glimpse of Seo Young’s astonished and angered face. Jongup truly was the love of his life.

 

“There they are!” Himchan said and pointed to the right of Youngjae. He turned and saw Daehyun and Jongup heading their way. Finally.  
“What took you so long?” Youngjae asked when the two reached the rest of them.  
“Hyung was trapped by his classmate,” Jongup answered.  
“Oh shit, I’m so sorry Daehyun, I totally forgot about her,” Yongguk immediately apologized, slapping his forehead.  
“It’s fine,” Daehyun waved him off and looked at Jongup, blushing. It was so obvious he had the hots for the younger boy.  
“Why did you want to talk to us though? I thought we weren’t practicing before tomorrow?” Daehyun asked. Himchan and Yongguk’s lips widened into goofy smiles.  
“We got the evaluation and grades for our project back,” Himchan told them grinning. “And we thought you might want to hear what our dear teacher said,” he continued, Yongguk nodding beside him. A rush of excitement rushed through Youngjae’s stomach. Another rush of nervousness replaced it. This was exciting and for the first time, he was actually nervous and uncertain about some results. He had always aced everything, so he hadn’t worried much about the results as such, but this... this was totally different.  
“Well, tell us then, and don’t hold that dramatic pause of yours,” Daehyun urged them on and Himchan shot him a glare.  
“My dramatic pauses are perfect and wonderful, thank you. But don’t worry, we’ll tell you what she wrote,” Himchan replied sassily and sniffed the air insulted. They all laughed at the dramatic boy. Zelo too. Another rush in his stomach. He was getting hungry. But before he could say anything else, Youngjae’s cell phone called for his attention.  
“Hello?” he answered the phone. It wasn’t his parents or anyone else in his contacts.  
“Hello Youngjae,” the voice greeted, making him cringe. Victoria. The other members of BAP looked at him confused. He held up a finger signaling he’d be with them in a moment.  
“How did you get this number?” he asked the witch.  
“Your parents gave it to me. They thought we should be able to contact each other. Are you out of school?” she explained. Youngjae let out a sigh before he could stop himself. There was just no end to this.  
“Yes I am,” he answered shortly. Youngjae could sense what was coming up.  
“Great, come hang out. I’ll be at a restaurant downtown in a couple of minutes,” Victoria requested, sure of herself.  
“Sorry, can’t. I have tutoring and homework,” Youngjae happily declined, though he tried to keep some apologetic tone in it. Not that he felt any.  
“Take today off. Your parents told me it’d be alright with one day,” Victoria replied with a purr in her voice, obviously trying to seduce him in some way. Not that it was working.  
“Nope. I can’t. I’m taking tomorrow off to work on a project with some people, so I can’t take today off. Maybe some other time, under different circumstances. Like a business meeting,” Youngjae declined, trying to keep the humor of telling her off out of his voice.   
A harumph was heard over the line and Youngjae smiled.  
“Let’s meet anyways, a different kind of business meeting,” Victoria suggested, her voice back in that seductive voice of her’s that didn’t work on him. Youngjae was about to yell at her. How could she say that? And his parents wanted him to marry this girl? Good thing they’d signed the contract so as long as he somewhat behaved, he wouldn’t have to do such things.  
“Victoria-shi. I’m really very sorry, but I have things to do. I’m going to decline no matter what. There are more important things calling for my attention than you,” Youngjae told her while looking at Zelo. Wait. Why was he looking only at Zelo? He quickly looked at the other members who looked at him attentively. “I am more than willing to discuss company matters with you, but otherwise, I will have to run. I shouldn’t let down my parents. Goodbye and have a nice day,” Youngjae ended and hung up the phone.  
“So who was that?” Himchan asked.  
“A girl my parents want me to marry, but luckily I won’t have to anymore if I just behave according to the contract,” Youngjae replied with a shrug and a smile. It felt good to tell Victoria off. He felt like doing a celebration dance but refrained from doing it.  
“Okay, good, can you tell us now?” Daehyun asked Himchan and Yongguk. The two oldest nodded.  
“Well first up, she commented on our choice of vocals. Yongguk will you?” Himchan started and the said boy nodded and took a piece of paper out of his pocket.  
“All of the vocals you have chosen for this song are extremely talented and have real promise in their voices,” Yongguk began, dishing out all the praise they had gotten from the teacher proudly. Youngjae felt a rush in his stomach like never before. His voice was being praised.

 

Screams and yells were heard from the street. Zelo looked up at the open window to the living room of his apartment. The distinct voices of his parents and porcelain being scattered against the walls reached his ears. He slumped his shoulders and dragged his feet along the pavement towards the door to the apartment building. He opened the door and took the stairs, one step at the time, feeling like he had a ton of bricks in his bag. The more than used wood on the stairs that creaked underneath him, announcing his arrival to all people in the building. Well everyone except his parents. They were too busy throwing vases and cups at each other. In his hand, he held a six-pack with beer. His father had asked for twelve that morning, but Zelo couldn’t afford it with the little money he was given and could only bring home six. And the mood was already ‘gloomy’ in the apartment.  
He reached the right floor and tiptoed into the hallway. He quickly and silently got his shoes off and tiptoed towards his room when the floorboard underneath him creaked and gave him away. His parents’ yelling and screaming stopped instantly, and he could hear his father approach him. Every creak in the floor alarming him further. He needed to get away. But to where? With hurried and long steps, he stalked towards his room, dropping the beer cans on the floor in the hallway. The loud clunk on the floor alarmed Zelo and he sped to his room. He had his own little spot for hiding. He had found the cramped space between his desk and the wall a few years back. He had fit in there perfectly at the time. But that was years ago, and he had grown uncontrollably since. He could still just squeeze his body down between them, but he couldn’t hide his long legs there anymore.  
“You fucking useless whore! You can’t even give me a son who obeys me!” His father’s voice cut through the paper thin walls. Zelo’s shoulders slumped. He was used to be called useless, but it wasn’t his mother’s fault. He felt how his eyes started to burn and his vision getting blurry. Thick and wet stripes went from his eyes and down his cheeks before they splashed onto the floor. His trembling fingers reaching into his jean pocket and fiddled with the square item. The present he had gotten from Himchan. His cell phone. He held it in his hands and unlocked it by memory, his vision too blurry to see. His fingers found Himchan’s number and his thumb hovered over the call button.  
The door slammed open and Zelo dropped his phone in fright. His father burst through the opening with the six-pack of beer hanging from his fingers. They were swollen and red. It was an obvious sign that he had hit his mother.  
"Look at me, you useless piece of shit!" His father spat and stared at him, his eyes dark and sharp as daggers. Zelo raised his head slowly and looked at his father. He was revealing his red and puffy face to him.   
"Can't you count?! I said twelve! Not six!" He yelled and threw the beers at the trembling boy. Zelo screamed in pain when the cans hit his ankle. It was loud enough to splinter a window.  
"Look, you bitch," his father said and dragged his mother by the hair to look at Zelo.  
"Jungjong," she barely whispered. Zelo could tell she was pitying him and felt sorry for him.  
"Look at that pathetic crybaby you gave me! He is whining at a soft landing on his ankle," he mocked him. "Not. Fucking. Good. Enough," he spat and Zelo watched as he raised his arm, curled his fingers into a fist and hit his mother. The force sent her into the wall next to Zelo. His father turned his attention from the woman leaning on the wall to Zelo. Zelo focused on his father but didn't fail to notice how his mother escaped the apartment, slamming the door behind her. She was saving herself. Zelo was left alone with his furious and drunk father. The man attacked Zelo again but Zelo shot out of his hiding place, throwing himself at the phone. He was desperate to call Himchan. His father managed to grab him by the waist and pulled him back just before he could close his fingers around the device. His fingers ran over the screen of phone and away from his emergency line.   
His father’s focus was back on the boy and Zelo’s mother saw her chance and wobbled out of the apartment and slammed the door behind her. Zelo being left alone with his furious and drunk father. He lunged towards his son who quickly shot out from his hiding place, throwing himself at his phone in a desperate attempt to call Himchan. But his father grabbed his waist and pulled him back, his fingers running over the screen of his phone. Away from his emergency line.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there! I thought I could keep up updating while being in Seoul on vacation, but obviously, I cannot. Updates will vary a little for the next three weeks. Some days I might forget, others I'm too tired. On other days, I'll be adding double updates to make up for the lack of previous update so I keep somewhat to schedule.


	28. Chapter Twenty Eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Explicit content

Daehyun was at Jongup’s place. _Daehyun was at Jongup’s place_. He couldn’t believe he was here. That Jongup had invited him. _Jongup had invited him_! How was this possible? It was like a dream come true. They took off their shoes and jackets and Daehyun was greeted with the godly sight of his crush in a sleeveless shirt. Jongup led him into the living room and they sat down on the couch. ‘It’s not much’ Jongup seemed to say silently. He was smiling and it made Daehyun’s heart flutter. His breathing was uneven because of all of this. Jongup’s muscles under the perfect skin, his breathtaking smile, the way he sat on the couch, legs spread, completely relaxed. This was... too much.  
“I like it here. It’s homey,” Daehyun told the love of his life as he looked around, trying to not look at Jongup. It really wasn’t much, but it was as comfortable, relaxing and homey as Jongup himself. It wasn’t surprising this was where he grew up. He found himself wondering how Jongup’s parents were. He had met his sister and she was energetic and loud, so how would his parents be? Since this was their home as well, they would be a little like Jongup too? Jongup smiled at him thankfully and stood up from the couch. ‘Hungry?’ he asked Daehyun silently. He grinned and nodded kind of guiltily. Jongup laughed a beautiful laugh and walked from the living room. Daehyun followed him into a small kitchen. The love of his life held up a glass jar filled with rice, asking if that was ok. Daehyun nodded happily and Jongup pulled out a pot and filled it with water and rice. This was heaven. Daehyun was sure this was heaven. The love of his life was going to cook him rice.  
“Thank you. For earlier,” Daehyun thanked him. Jongup nodded and sent him a smile, that made Daehyun’s heart flutter.  
“You know,” Daehyun started, before he started rambling on about Seo Young and his other classmates. Which then turned to work and cake. This went on to food in general and Jongup sent him sweet smiles, encouraging him to keep chatting. Every smile made one of his own appear and his heart flutter. Those smiles were like an addiction. So sweet, lovely, beautiful, breathtaking and so many other pretty words. The rice was finished and Jongup put into two bowls that he found in a cupboard, before giving one to Daehyun along with a spoon. Happily, Daehyun took it, not being able to hold in the loving gaze. Quietly, Jongup told him to eat, as he sat down in front of him. Daehyun nodded and dug in. Oh, the taste. Maybe it was his mind playing tricks with him, but he was sure this was the best rice he had tasted in his entire life.  
“Is it good?” Jongup asked, a gentle and angelic smile on his face. Daehyun nodded eagerly.  
“This is the best rice I’ve ever had in my life!” he told the love of his life. Jongup smiled brightly, brighter than the sun. He reached out with his hand towards Daehyun, who stiffened at the approaching hand. A soft finger touched the edge of his mouth and as it pulled back, he saw a small cluster of rice between two of Jongup’s fingers. Jongup gave him a small smile, before eating the rice. Beaming another smile, the love of his life began eating his own rice again. He was dreaming. Daehyun was sure he was dreaming. That was basically an indirect kiss. How he had made fun of people in dramas at this stupid phrase, but this. Now he understood. He might faint. No, he couldn’t faint, that would be embarrassing. With bright red cheeks, he began eating his rice again, not being able to look at the boy in front of him.  
Too soon the rice was gone. Still not being able to look at the boy in front of him, he stared down into the empty bowl. A spoon with a huge chunk of rice appeared in front of him and dumped the rice into his bowl. He looked up. Jongup smiled and retreated his arm with the spoon and continued eating the remnants of his own rice.  
“You looked lost. Eat. I like watching you eat happily,” Jongup told him. Daehyun’s heart fluttered. I’ll eat all day, every day in front of you then, Daehyun thought. How could someone be so perfect and beautiful in every single way? Not being able to do anything but nod, he ate the rice Jongup had given him. The rice that had touched Jongup’s spoon, which had touched Jongup’s lips. This was the best rice he had ever had in his entire life.  
Sadly, it ebbed out as well and Jongup was finished with his as well. For the first time, Daehyun could feel the awkwardness come creeping in.  
“Come,” Jongup told him, breaking it completely, and stood up. He took his bowl and spoon and placed them in the sink and Daehyun followed suit. With that breathtaking smile, Jongup went out of the kitchen and back into the living room. Daehyun followed him through the living room and through a brown door. On the other side of the door was a small room with a one man bed, a small desk below a small window with a chair, a cabinet against the wall next to the door and a mattress on the floor filling up half of the floor. After looking around, Daehyun looked at Jongup who stood in the middle and seemed to say ‘Welcome to my room’ in his silent language.  
“Thanks,” Daehyun replied with a laugh and received a million-watt smile from the love of his life. Jongup sat down on his bed and gently patted the space next to him. Blushing slightly, Daehyun sat down next to him. This was the best day of his life. Jongup wanted him to be next to him. Despite that… situation… in the practice room. Oh, now he felt so bad and wanted to bury himself in a hole. Desperately he tried to think of something else.  
“Why is there a mattress on the floor?” he asked.  
“It’s for my noona. While she’s home,” Jongup explained with his comfortable and easy voice. It made Daehyun relax.  
“You really like your sister,” Daehyun commented and Jongup nodded with that easy and bright smile.  
“She’s very nice. She supports me and helps me with my choices,” Jongup told him as if it was the simplest yet most meaningful thing in the world. Daehyun was jealous. He wanted to be talked about in the same way. Wanted the same fond voice to speak about him.  
“You remind me a bit of her,” Jongup told him and Daehyun looked at him surprised.  
“You’re funny, talkative and eat a lot. She’s the same,” Jongup explained. Daehyun didn’t know what to do but found himself smiling. Because Jongup was smiling. In a fond way, that made his heart beat faster. He wanted to look at the younger but found himself unable to. He couldn't look into Jongup's eyes. They were just so...Jongup. Instead, his gaze traveled down to the younger's chest instead. Muscled arms embraced the chest. It was a bad idea. His imagination started spiraling out of control before he could do anything. The thoughts just wouldn't leave him alone as he stared.   
"I know," Jongup said, pulling Daehyun out of his thoughts. He was well on his way out of control and Jongup had luckily saved him. The words left him confused. He looked at Jongup, managing his eyes this time. Apparently, Jongup could sense his confusion.  
"I know. I know what you think. Your body tells me," Jongup told him. Daehyun furrowed his brows as he wrapped his mind around what Jongup had said. He wasn't really surprised but still had the decency to be embarrassed. He was too easy to read.  
"It's okay, though," Jongup told him, smile as bright as ever. It calmed Daehyun down a bit. He was still saddened though. He had hoped to confess to Jongup someday and have his feelings reciprocated. Jongup already knew and there wasn't a word of his feelings.  
"Me too," Jongup said, bringing Daehyun out of his momentary misery.  _Jongup what too_?  
"Eh," Daehyun said, confused enough to scratch the back of his head. He looked at Jongup in curious wonder, doing his best at hiding his disappointment. Jongup made no move to elaborate and his disappointment got harder to hide. He needed a distraction. Next second, Daehyun felt the softest pressure against his lips before it disappeared again. He could feel his heart beat rapidly against his chest. Jongup smiled a soft smile and Daehyun felt as if love radiated from the younger boy. It felt surreal. Carefully, he touched his lips where Jongup had been just seconds ago. Was it real or was his subconsciousness pulling some mean prank on him? Was he still in bed dreaming? The kiss now felt a lot better than any dream he'd ever had.   
"You're not dreaming," Jongup said as if reading his thoughts. There was a laugh in his voice too. Daehyun wanted to ask him if he really liked him back. If his crush wasn't one-sided. If he could get another kiss.  
Jongup stood up from the bed and looked down at him. Daehyun looked up at the love of his life, straight in the eye, silently asking all these things, hoping the other could understand. He couldn’t speak.  
“I like you Daehyun,” Jongup told him with a calm yet fond voice. Not a trace of nervousness. Daehyun’s heart sped up, banging against his chest and he started breathing a little faster. Such beautiful words had come from Jongup’s mouth. Jongup looked down on the floor and Daehyun could see a beautiful tint of pink dust across his cheeks. “Will you be mine? As I will be yours?” Jongup asked, smiling softly. Daehyun was sure his heart exploded with happiness. He, Jongup, the love of his life, wanted to be his. Wanted to be together. This was too good to be a dream.  
“Your body tells me you are positive, but will you please speak the words?” Jongup asked from him, a slightly nervous smile on his face. That was the first time Daehyun had seen something like that on the love of his life’s face. It was so odd, yet so beautiful.  
“Yes,” Daehyun breathed out with a nod and a huge smile spread on his face. It wasn’t containable. It simply stretched and stretched out. This really was the best day of his life. Jongup beamed brighter than Daehyun had ever seen before. Such a beautiful sight it was. He was so happy. A state of euphoria. Slowly, Jongup leaned forward once again and their lips connected, creating bliss and happiness in Daehyun’s entire body. Too soon, the soft lips disappeared again. A whine escaped Daehyun and Jongup chuckled before leaning forward again. Their lips locked together as Daehyun melted into the kiss, standing up to get more.  
The kiss was sweet and gentle. It was innocent in so many ways. It was simply lips moving against each other, electric current flowing between the two boys as they molded together. Both of them were shy and their arms were hanging down by their sides, none of them daring to move. Shyly, Daehyun slipped his tongue out and licked at Jongup’s lower lip. Jongup opened his mouth, shyly. Daehyun’s tongue, just as shyly, slipped into Jongup’s mouth and inspected every curve and bump in his mouth, tasted him and caressed his tongue. When Daehyun didn’t get any reaction in return of his actions he pulled back and looked at the mesmerizing dancer, not understanding the reactions - or lack of thereof. Daehyun found himself watched by Jongup and realization seemed to dawn on him. He leaned forward and pressed their lips together again, kissing him with soft movements. Daehyun was surprised by the kiss, not having expected Jongup to kiss him again. He hadn't kissed him back before, so he figured he wasn't much for kissing. Jongup kissing him had caught him slightly off guard and Jongup slipped his tongue between his parted lips. It made Daehyun mewl softly. The dancer was an amazing kisser for a first timer. Daehyung found himself submitting to the dancer, feeling too much pleasure at once to do anything to take back dominance. He didn't care. Jongup was his. His Jongup.  
Jongup let his hands touch Daehyun’s backside, rubbing it gently, making small circles of pleasure. Daehyun got surprised when he moaned into the kiss, and he could hide in the corner from embarrassment. He didn't get to pull back before Jongup's hand moved from his back and tangled into his hair. It held him in place and made him unable to detach himself. Daehyun was rewarded for staying with Jongup by a moan from the dancer. He relaxed at the sound despite his abdomen tensing with need. Jongup wanted him close and the moan hadn't been a dealbreaker. And Jongup's moan was incredibly addicting. It encouraged Daehyun to participate in their third kiss. He, too, laced his fingers into Jongup's hair and gently nibbled on his lower lip. The kiss grew more passionate and their feelings were radiating off their bodies, filling the room with a pleasant warmth. They pulled away from each other, looking deep and lovingly at one another. The new couple felt the temperature rise and the room filled with an erotic atmosphere. Daehyun really wanted to claim Jongup. He closed the distance between them and placed open-mouthed kisses along his beautifully defined jawline, edging closer to the ear. He sucked the earlobe between his lips, earning himself a shaky moan from the dancer. Jongup lost control of his body. He bucked his hips upwards and ground his pelvis against Daehyun's. The older moaned around the earlobe, the vibrations causing Jongup to moan too. Daehyun released the delicious flesh and his hot breath fanned across the shell of Jongup's ear. 

 

Jongup was scared. Not much. Just a bit. He had never lost control of his body before. Though he was scared, he would be lying if he said he didn’t enjoy it. He liked it a bit too much. He knew he had to hold back, or he would hurt his new boyfriend. Daehyun’s hands had wandered to the hem of Jongup’s shirt. His fingers crawled underneath the thin fabric and caressed the silk soft naked skin while he traced the more than prominent abs. Jongup felt his skin burn where Daehyun’s fingers had ghosted across. 

 

Daehyun felt the strong muscles tense under his touch and he found all the curves and bumps addicting. He lifted up the shirt, wanting to see more of his more than toned boyfriend. Jongup quickly pulled his shirt over his head and discarded it on the floor. Daehyun stood back half a step and eyed his new lover. He was taking in the mesmerizing view in front of him, memorizing all of the perfect, lightly tanned skin that was hugging tight around his muscular body. He stepped forward the half step again and pressed their lips together in a passionate kiss, being more teeth and tongue than an actual kiss. Daehyun lowered himself in front of his boyfriend and attached his lips around one of his already erect nubs on his chest while his fingers took care of the other. Jongup released a shaky moan and laced his fingers into his boyfriend’s hair, pulling him closer. He arched his back against Daehyun’s body and tilted his head back in pleasure as his eyes fluttered to a close. Daehyun smirked against the dancer’s toned chest and got on his knees as his tongue circled the belly button. He licked a thick trail down to the hem of the dancer’s pants and clumsily tried to unbutton them, his nervous fingers trembling. He groaned in frustration as the stubborn clothes would not budge. The dancer giggled at the vocal’s miseries and swatted his hands away from the restraining button and skillfully opened them. Daehyun pulled them down.

 

The vocalist looked disappointed and worry started to stir inside the younger. He looked at the man in front of him. He squatted down and looked at Daehyun, feeling insecure about his body for the first time in his life. Was he not good enough for him? Did he not like what he saw? Didn’t he have enough?  
“Dae?” the younger asked with a trembling voice as he studied the other’s face for any hint of what could be wrong.  
“Yeah?” Daehyun breathed, looking at his boyfriend.  
“What’s wrong? Don’t you...Don’t you like what you see?” a shy and insecure Jongup asked as he fiddled with his fingers. Daehyun blinked a couple of times as the words settled in his mind. His eyes widened when they registered.  
“Yes! Yes, I do!” Daehyun almost yelled and continued in a more hushed voice “Sorry. It’s just… I am so nervous about this. I can’t even open your pants,” Daehyun said shakily. Jongup could sense the frustration in Daehyun's body and Jongup instantly felt better about himself. He felt bad for Daehyun. His body language was of one close to giving up. Daehyun couldn't lead anymore. He was too nervous and hadn't had a chance to prepare himself for what was currently happening. Jongup looked down at his boyfriend and nibbled his lips. Daehyun was shaking and Jongup could cut through his uncertainty with a knife. Jongup had been too blinded by his own uncertainty to notice just how vulnerable Daehyun had been. Jongup leaned forward and let himself land on a startled Daehyun. He pushed them both backward and captured Daehyun's lips in a bruising kiss. He was nervous himself but wasn't going to let it show. He was going to provide support to his boyfriend. Instead, he made his hands caress his sides. It had taken him a while to move for more than just the kiss but was clear they both wanted it.  
Jongup felt  _his_  Daehyun shiver slightly under his touch. It wasn't much, but it was enough to make him sigh with relief. He grew bolder as the older arched into the touches and he started to explore Daehyun's body. He explored his chest first and made sure to pay extra attention to his nipples. It earned him a shaky moan from the older. He pulled himself up and kissed at Daehyun's neck. He sucked at the skin and sought out the soft spots. He relished in the sounds of Daehyun's breath hitching before he continued down his body. He nibbled gently on his collarbones and then continued to his chest. He flicked his tongue over an erect nub through the thin cotton of Daehyun's shirt while his hands searched for the button in Daehyun's pants. His fingers brushed over the bulge in Daehyun's jeans, causing Daehyun to buck upwards. It made it harder for Jongup to undo his pants but he didn't stop trying. Once they were opened, he pulled them down slightly, exposing a pair of colorful boxers.   
"Jongup," Daehyun sighed in pleasure as Jongup brushed his fingers along the fabric of his boxers and made the younger smile. Daehyun seemed content with what was going on. He took a deep breath and collected a bit of courage before he wrapped his fingers around Daehyun's length through his boxers. Daehyun bucked up and Jongup almost pulled his hand back, momentarily scared Daehyun's dick was trying to bite him. He lowered his head and chuckled to himself, embarrassed by his thought. Of course, Daehyun's dick wasn't going to bite him. It couldn't bite.

 

Daehyun felt like he was going to combust. His skin was burning everywhere Jongup had been. The younger was reaching for the shirt, rolling it up to expose Daehyun's stomach. Daehyun raised himself enough to allow Jongup to remove the article of clothing completely. He observed how Jongup's eyes raked over his body. He noticed how Jongup's eyes lingered at the parts of himself he considered imperfections. He saw nothing bad in Jongup's expression and felt accepted and valued for exactly what he was. Jongup leaned down and covered his chest with countless butterfly kisses. The kisses had Daehyun's nervousness disappear and he dared himself to tangle his fingers into Jongup's hair. The brown hair was soft and silky between his fingers and Daehyun loved the feeling of it as he combed his fingers through the strands repeatedly. Jongup's kisses descended towards Daehyun's stomach and were occasionally replaced by a few sucks. They left faint marks in their vague, and Daehyun felt warm whenever Jongup claimed another part of him as his. When Jongup reached the hem of his boxers, Daehyun blushed in embarrassment. He had never had anyone so close to his manhood before. Jongup licked along the elastic band and where Daehyun's stomach dipped from the hips, Jongup slid his tongue underneath the fabric momentarily before continuing. He reached the other side and repeated the motion, only this time, his teeth closed down around the fabric. Jongup undressed Daehyun with his mouth and Daehyun was conflicted between awe and embarrassment. He was laid bare before his boyfriend with nothing to cover him, his erection standing proudly. He was also in awe by how easily Jongup seemed to take it all. He settled for the embarrassment and covered his face. The tip of his dick was curving upwards and was tapping against his lower abdomen. He heard Jongup chuckle lowly before he felt kisses on the side of his knee. Slowly, the kisses wandered up his thigh, up the front of his hip and towards the center of his abdomen. Daehyun's breath hitched loudly when Jongup pressed a delicate kiss to the tip of his cock. Daehyun's veins thrummed with the need to be touched and the kiss hadn't made it any better. His back was arching off the floor and whimpered softly. He needed more. Daehyun heard shifting between his legs and soon Jongup's lips were on him again. Daehyun was embarrassed by how needy and pliant his body was, but as long as it was only Jongup who saw it, he was sort of alright with it. Jongup licked around the defined crown of Daehyun's dick slowly and Daehyun's back arched more off the floor. Daehyun exposed his face again as he reached onto the floor for something to hold on top, one hand coming in contact with the mattress on the floor. Daehyun curled his fingers into the bed sheets and released a breathy moan.

 

Jongup noticed every single change Daehyun’s body made, and every reaction he had, to make sure everything was a perfect experience for the older. He licked from the base to the tip, and he noticed how Daehyun’s entire body trembled with pleasure as he sucked on the tip. He heard how bits and parts of his name rolled off the elder’s tongue in pants as he increased the frequency of his bobbing head. A thin layer of sweat covered Daehyun’s body as he squirmed on the floor, his body shaking in pleasure. Being touched by another for the first time didn’t help on the pleasure-meter for Daehyun. He felt warmth coil in his lower stomach, as Jongup grazed the underside distinct vein and his tongue flicked over his head. He warned his lover by gently tugging at his boyfriend’s hair he released the swollen cock with a lewd pop. Jongup started to suck on his three middle fingers while he looked deep into Daehyun’s dark brown, dilated, lust filled orbs.   
Fingers coated with a thick layer of saliva circled Daehyun’s virgin ring of muscles and Daehyun gasped from the foreign feeling. Jongup leaned up and kissed his boyfriend passionately and Daehyun lost himself to the feeling. The way Jongup’s tongue caressed his own, the way their lips fitted together perfectly, Jongup’s sweet taste mixed with his own salty. He didn’t even notice how his hole was penetrated by a slick finger. Not until Jongup curled his finger and bluntly grazed his prostate. By surprise, Daehyun gasped and bit down on Jongup’s tongue, and made the dancer hiss in pain. Some clumsy movements later Jongup was kissing Daehyun’s neck and chest while moving his finger and was slowly adding a second. He pushed the second finger against Daehyun’s ring and pushed a little harder every time until Daehyun was so relaxed it was welcomed in the tight heat.   
Jongup’s imagination ran away with him as he saw his fingers disappear into the heat and come out again. He moaned as he imagined how it would feel around his cock. He scissored gently to make enough space for himself and he curled his fingers inside his boyfriend and unintentionally grazed the bundle of nerves making Daehyun curl off the floor as he held onto Jongup’s shoulders, digging his blunt nails into the perfect, tanned, flawless skin on his back and moaned into his lover’s ear. Jongup aimed for the spot once more. He hit repeatedly and made Daehyun a moaning mess with white flashing before his eyes with every move. Jongup was growing impatient but wanted his boyfriend to feel the best. He prepared him faster and made him want more.  
“Jonguppie!” Daehyun whimpered.  
“Yeah?” Jongup looked into his eyes  
“Just do it already!” Daehyun begged and spread his legs for his boyfriend as encouragement. Which Jongup didn’t need at all. He pulled out his fingers and picked up his boyfriend from the floor and placed him on his bed instead. Jongup’s facial expression turned from lust filled to worried and he looked at his boyfriend  
“It was very unexpected that it should happen today, so I have nothing to make it easier,” Jongup explained looking at his boyfriend. Daehyun turned flustered and a faint blush covered his cheeks as he saw his boyfriend’s worry over hurting him.  
“D-do you have some lotion or something similar?” He managed to stutter out, slightly intimidated by the situation. Jongup snaps his fingers finding the idea genius. He gently pecked Daehyun’s lips and ran into the bathroom and found his favorite moisturizer and returned to the room, where his needy boyfriend was waiting for him with spread legs and a stretched hole. He crawled onto the bed again and uncapped the lotion trying to get some lotion into his hand. But Daehyun who had some newfound courage, sat up and took the lotion out of his hand, and poured some into his own palm. He capped the bottle and placed it on the bed. He rubbed his hands together and warmed the lotion before he hesitantly reached out for his boyfriend’s cock. Shyly, he palmed the tip earning a shaky moan from Jongup. The sound encouraged Daehyun and he slowly wrapped his fingers around the throbbing member and brought his hand down, slowly covering the cock with the lotion. When he believed it was good enough he leaned back on the bed and spread his legs once more.  
Jongup wrapped his own hand around his cock and gave it few strokes before leaning over Daehyun and kissed his collarbone. He positioned himself so he was ready to push in when Daehyun was occupied with pleasure from elsewhere. He kissed his way towards his lips as he slowly pushed in, trying to distract Daehyun with the kisses. Daehyun whimpered as he was stretched and grabbed the bed sheets tightly and his knuckles turned white. He clenched his jaw and couldn’t kiss Jongup back as he reached his lips. Jongup noticed Daehyun tensing and stayed still until he relaxed enough for him to move more freely. He kissed his boyfriend’s jaw, ear, neck, collarbone and back to the lips until he relaxed under him. Daehyun kissed him back as he reached his lips again. Slowly he moved further into him and kept kissing him to remove focus. This time was much better and Daehyun kept kissing back, releasing a quiet moan as he did. Jongup saw this as his signal and moved slowly setting a steady pace and rhythm already from the start. He rolled his hips sliding in and out of his boyfriend. He earned quiet moans as the pain was replaced by waves of pleasure. 

 

As the pain disappeared, Daehyun moved to meet the gentle thrusts from his boyfriend, signaling him to move faster. Their lips were still locked together and they only parted for a few seconds at a time for them to get some oxygen into their desperately screaming lungs. Jongup increased the speed of the rhythm and moaned into their kiss and Daehyun unintentionally clenched around him and was arching his back in pure bliss. He unlocked their lip lock and wrapped his arms around Jongup to bring him closer. He moaned softly into his boyfriend’s ear and Jongup found himself getting addicted to the sound. The younger shifted a bit on the bed to get a better position and Daehyun saw stars again. He moaned loudly into Jongup’s ear and clung his shoulders as he felt his prostate being abused repeatedly. This action did not go unnoticed by Jongup who smirked and aimed for the same spot again, hitting it dead on. Daehyun turned into a moaning mess on the bed, a thin layer of sweat covered his body as he admired his boyfriend’s focused face above him. His eyes were dark with lust and love, his face contorted in pleasure and his tongue darting out in concentration to hit the same bundle of nerves every time.

 

Jongup felt the warmth in his lower abdomen starting to be stronger and stronger and he knew he was getting close to his release. He reached down between them and took Daehyun’s member in his hand and started to stroke him in time with his slow and steady rhythm.  
“F-fuck,” Daehyun breathed out followed close by incoherent bits that could be made out as ‘close’ and ‘Jongup’ to a trained ear. But Jongup’s eyes were more trained, and everything Daehyun did, pointing towards being close to an orgasm. He leaned closer to his ear and sweetly whispered,  
“I love you,” That small sentence and Jongup’s sensual but husky voice made Daehyun shoot his seeds out between them and Jongup came half a thrust later, shooting deep inside his boyfriend painting his insides white.  
Both boys were panting as Jongup rolled down next to his boyfriend who rolled with him. Now both boys were on their sides and Jongup was still inside Daehyun. They looked deep into each other’s eyes, feeling the love between them. As they both had steadied their breathing again they shared a loving kiss and Jongup pulled out and Daehyun snuggled close into his boyfriend’s warm embrace.  
“I love you too,” Daehyun whispered before they both fell asleep with heartwarmingly, content smiles on their lips.


	29. Chapter Twenty Nine

Sitting on a couch next to two of his friends in the house belonging to Minho’s parents, Himchan was watching Minho and Leeteuk fight over the remote control. An ironic and amused smile stretched on his lips as they tumbled around. He could totally see them in a liplock, pulling their clothes off. Which was weird seeing as Leeteuk was all about girls, girls, and only girls.  
“Oh, just quit it and go fuck somewhere else. I don’t want to see you two getting it on,” Himchan told them, gaining their attention. Leeteuk jumped away from Minho with wide eyes and hugged himself.  
“No way. No fucking way! What is wrong with you, Himchan?” Leeteuk protested and shivered. Minho saw the joke in it and laughed, still lying on the floor.  
“Jealous, are we?” he asked Himchan and winked.  
“Why should I be jealous of you getting your frustrations out of not getting this perfect piece of ass,” Himchan replied and dusted imaginary dust off his shoulder. Laughter rang from all sides.  
“I love you Himchan,” Jieun told him from the other couch.  
“I know,” he replied with a smirk. More laughter sounded from his friends and Minho stood up from the floor, plopping down next to Himchan.  
“You know, we could go to my room instead,” Minho told him, with a playful smile.   
“Oh yeah, you’d like that, wouldn’t you? Too bad I have vowed never to sleep with a common peasant,” Himchan replied in a high voice, giving his friend a wink. Himchan felt vibrations in his pockets, followed by the distinct sound of the ringtone only belonging to Zelo. Worry wiped the smile from his face and he quickly fished out his phone, not listening to whatever his friends were saying now. He really hoped nothing was wrong.  
“Zelo?” he asked as he answered the phone. A scream was all he got in answer. It froze the blood in his veins.  
“Shut up, you useless piece of shit!” he heard a voice he’d heard once before another scream. Within a second he was out of the couch and by the door, putting on his shoes. Not minding putting on his jacket or his friend’s yells he ran out of the door and down the street as fast as his legs could carry him. Curses, insults, and screams were heard through the phone along with the unmistakable sound of someone being slapped and thrown against the floor.  
“Zelo, hang on, I’m coming,” Himchan said in between pants, hoping Zelo could hear him. Another sound he knew well from being kicked in the stomach was heard and a strangled sob close to the phone. “I’m coming, Zelo, I’m coming,” he panted and turned down a street, weaving through people as fast as possible. Most moved out of the way from the panic stricken, running boy, and others were pushed away if they didn’t move quickly enough.  
“Help,” Zelo’s voice whimpered, before another familiar sound of being punched reached the phone.  
“I’m on my way. Stay strong, I'm almost there,” Himchan told him, before cursing to himself. He put the phone into his pocket, still not hanging up and sped up even further. Why was Minho’s house so far from Zelo’s place? A particularly loud scream reached his ears and he dug even further in his energy resources. The scream tore at his heart. He could feel his legs slowing down, being spent from running for so long and frustration filled him. He couldn’t slow down. Zelo needed him. His legs were screaming when he reached the first mark, telling him he was only a couple of blocks from Zelo’s apartment. Despite the need to slow down, he sped up, gaining the speed he was losing before.  
Finally, Zelo’s apartment building could be seen. Reaching the right door, he pulled out his phone as he opened it. Putting it to his ear, he listened attentively as he rushed up the stairs, two steps at a time. No more screams or sounds of being kicked, punched or thrown were heard. Stopping up in front of the right door he took a couple of deep breaths. Carefully he reached for the door handle and turned it, hoping and praying it was unlocked. It was. Being as quiet as possible he entered the apartment. The sounds of some program on the TV was heard faintly, along with the familiar sound of curses, insulting everything. Feeling like he was breaking in, not that he felt bad about it, he tip-toed to Zelo’s room. Himchan hung up and put his phone into his pocket and opened the door. The sight stabbed him in the heart.  
Lying on the floor next to the bed, laid Zelo bundled up in himself, sobbing quietly. Tears ran down the young face and mixed with blood. His clothes had been pulled and ripped in a couple of places. The young boy was trembling. Not wasting a second, Himchan entered and sat down next to Zelo. Carefully, he touched the boy, who twitched and started scooting away.  
“Hey there. It’s me. It’s Himchan. Don’t worry,” Himchan told him softly and the young boy stopped scooting away. Instead, he sobbed harder, sinking down into the floor with such helplessness it killed the older. Doing what he had hoped someone would have done with him the first times he was beaten up by his parents, Himchan pulled the boy into his embrace. Zelo started sobbing harder, buried in his embrace. Gently, Himchan started rocking back and forth and gently stroked the crying boy’s hair.  
“It’s gonna be alright,” Himchan told him softly. “Don’t worry, it’s gonna be alright.”   
After several minutes, the curses from the living room got louder and louder. Worried, Himchan looked down at the still sobbing boy. He needed to get him out of here.  
“Zelo? Can you stand up?” Himchan asked quietly.  
“I don’t know,” Zelo sobbed out. “It hurts.”  
“I know sweetie. But you have to try so we can get out of here, okay?” Himchan told him softly. Zelo nodded his head and whimpered out a weak ‘okay’. Patting his hair encouragingly, Himchan helped him sit up properly. He fought himself up on his own feet, pain shooting through his legs, before helping the younger up as well. Zelo groaned and sobbed harder as he moved his beaten limbs.  
“You’re doing great Zelo,” Himchan encouraged him as he helped the young boy to his feet. Zelo shakily took a small step, face scrunching in pain. “Junhong! Bring me a beer!” Zelo’s dad yelled, the young boy twitching at the sound of his name. This wouldn’t do.  
“Get up on my back,” Himchan told the hurt boy. “It’ll hurt, but it’ll get us out of here faster,” he continued. Zelo nodded, stopping midway, looking at the floor. Himchan looked in the same direction. It was Zelo’s phone. Hurriedly, Himchan picked up the phone and shoved it in his pocket before going back to the tall boy and turned his back to him so he could get up. A weak attempt was made to get up on his back. Himchan could feel how battered up Zelo was by the weak grip. His own legs were screaming in pain from running so far and fast and now having to carry the tall boy. Clenching his teeth together, he helped the tall boy up and got a firm grip on his legs. Zelo sobbed and whimpered in pain.  
“I’m sorry,” Himchan whispered softly, before starting to walk out of the room.  
“Junhong!” Zelo’s dad yelled again and Himchan sped up, despite the thousand knives stabbing his exhausted legs. Through the kitchen, down the hall, and out the front door before the yells from the living room became a fuming man, ready to beat someone up again. Zelo whimpered in pain as he heavily walked down the stairs. His legs screamed at him, but he couldn’t stop up. He needed to get the boy on his back to safety. He didn’t deserve to go through the same things Himchan had. No one should.  
Himchan near stumbled down the street with the battered boy on his back. He couldn’t keep this up for long. It only hurt the poor boy more. Not to mention he felt like he would collapse any minute. The memory of the park a block away struck his mind and Himchan made that his goal. Digging down to the last reserves of energy he had, he walked forward, trying his best not to stumble. After what felt like hours, they finally reached the park and a bench was spotted within seconds. Reaching the bench Himchan sat Zelo down again, who sat down on the bench while whimpering in pain. Himchan flopped down next to him, his legs done for the day. It felt like hundreds and thousands of knives were being pushed into his muscles slowly. Next thing was, where could he leave Zelo? His own place was not the answer. And another thing was how to get there. The tall boy was beaten up so he would prefer it not being by foot and he couldn’t carry him either. His legs were like two pieces of dead meat.  
Yongguk. Yongguk would know and help.  
“I’m going to call Yongguk. We’ll see if you can stay at his place for the night and then we’ll go from there, okay?” Himchan told Zelo let out a hum of acceptance. With that, Himchan pulled out his phone and called his best friend.  
“Hey Chan, what’s up?” Yongguk’s voice rang out the phone.  
“I need help. I’m in the park near Zelo’s place. His dad beat him up. Badly,” Himchan told his best friend. He was still out of breath.  
“I’ll be there in twenty minutes,” Yongguk answered immediately.  
“Thank you, Bbang,” Himchan thanked him sincerely and smiled slightly.  
“Don’t mention it. He’s my kid too, MamaChan,” Yongguk joked a little, though a serious tone lay underneath it. Himchan chuckled and said goodbye.  
“Bbang is gonna come help,” he told Zelo with an encouraging smile and collected him into his arms again. “Then we’ll get you cleaned up and I’ll make sure you don’t have to go back for now. We’ll take care of you,” he continued and in his arms, Zelo nodded, clinging tighter to him.

 

Yongguk was driving his parents' car through the streets and towards the park where Himchan and Zelo were. Ok, I need to blink. Where is the blinking thing!? Oh yeah, the left stick, Yongguk thought to himself and blinked to the left. He stopped up and looked left right, forward, backward and a couple of other angles, before finally assured that no one was coming his way.  
“Okay, time to turn Yongguk,” he mumbled to himself and put a light foot on the speeder before starting to turn the wheel. Luckily, it was the right way he turned and not the wrong one like he did back when he tried to get out of their driveway at home. Another lucky thing, this was the last turn and he could see the park now. All he had to do now was to park. He mumbled out a long string of the worst curses he could come up with when he saw he’d have to parallel park. I can do this, he cheered himself on internally and got on with it, with almost shaking hands.  
He succeeded. Yongguk fist pumped inside the car at his success before stepping out of the car and locked it. Now he just needed to find Himchan and Zelo inside the park. He had barely stepped inside the park before he spotted the two of them on a nearby bench. That was easy, he thought with a smile and went over to them. He could see that Himchan was holding Zelo protectively. Yongguk frowned. He hoped it wasn’t too bad with Zelo. The poor kid shouldn’t experience such stuff.  
“Hey there,” he greeted them quietly. Himchan looked up at him, but Zelo stayed buried in his arms.  
“Hey,” Himchan greeted back with a small smile. “He fell asleep,” he continued and indicated to Zelo with his head. Yongguk looked closer and saw that the tall boy, indeed was sleeping.  
“I brought my parent’s car, so we can just carry him there and then we can go to my place,” Yongguk told him.  
“You can drive?” Himchan asked doubtfully, eyebrow arched in surprise.  
“Did I just surprise the all-knowing Kim Himchan?” Yongguk joked with a mocking tone and a huge grin on his face.  
“Oh, shut up,” Himchan snapped at him with a smile.  
“Yes, I can. I got my driver’s license a few months ago,” he told his friend. “Come on, I’ll help you carry him to the car,” Yongguk said.  
“I’m afraid I can’t carry him. My legs are dead,” Himchan told him. Yongguk looked at him questioningly. “I ran from Minho’s place, basically in the other end of town. And then I carried him here from his place. He was walking too slow,” Himchan explained. Yongguk looked at him in surprise and couldn’t help but look down at his friend’s legs. They looked like they were almost bursting the tight jeans he was wearing. He had really nice thighs and suddenly he had an amazing lust to touch them. But no. They had to take care of Zelo first. He was more important.  
“Give him to me then. I’ll carry him,” Yongguk told him and Himchan helped him scoop the tall boy into his arms. “Come on,” he told Himchan and started walking to the car.  
They reached the car and Yongguk remembered the keys in his pocket. Fuck.  
“Uhm, Chan, could you take the car keys from my left pocket. I kinda have my hands full,” Yongguk asked his friend, trying to keep the embarrassment of the situation and what he was asking out of his voice. Without a word, Himchan delved into his pocket, fished out the keys and unlocked the car. Yongguk was meanwhile trying to ban all indecent thoughts of Himchan from his mind. Not that he was succeeding very well, but thanked everything he’d formerly cursed to hell, that he wasn’t the main focus of Himchan right now. When he got Zelo into the car, Himchan sitting beside him, Yongguk went back to the driver’s seat. He had to keep his cool this time. He had to look cool while driving them to his place. He had to impress Himchan. And not kill my passengers, he added to himself.


	30. Chapter Thirty

Yongguk sighed in relief when he entered the driveway and turned off the car. He’d kept his cool and no one had died. Success! Getting out, he opened the door on Zelo’s side and pulled him into his arms. Himchan gave him a small smile from the other side, which made his heart flutter and gain strength to carry the heavy boy (and hopefully impress his best friend). His friend closed the car door for him and followed him up to the door, where he opened it for him as well.

 

Himchan followed his friend and closed the door behind them as Yongguk walked on to his bedroom with Zelo. His legs still felt like jelly. It felt like he wouldn’t be able to walk properly for weeks. Going into the living room, they met Yongnam who stared wide-eyed at Zelo.  
“What happened?” he asked.  
“He got beat up,” Himchan answered him, stopping up to talk with his best friend’s brother.  
“Your legs are shaking?” Yongnam commented, looking at Himchan’s legs. He let out a small laugh and looked down at his legs.  
“Indeed they are,” he confirmed. Yongnam grinned and the next thing Himchan knew, he was suddenly off the ground, in the boy’s arms.  
“Let me, your humble servant, carry you, your most royal highness,” Yongnam proclaimed with a wide smile. Himchan laughed at the boy happily. He swung his legs a couple of times while chuckling.  
“Carry me to the peasant's room, servant!” Himchan ordered.  
“Yes, oh, mighty Himchan,” Yongnam answered and nodded his head before walking towards Yongguk’s room.  
They entered to see Yongguk laying Zelo down on his bed. Himchan couldn’t help but smile. Yongguk turned around and gave them a weird frown.  
“What’s up with that?” Yongguk asked almost sourly.  
“I’m carrying his majesty to your disgusting quarters,” Yongnam answered with a grin. Yongguk scowled at his brother.  
“Servant, do not insult the peasant’s quarters!” Himchan ordered in a high yet joking manner.  
“As you say, your highness,” Yongnam responded immediately.  
“Now set me down and get me a chair,” Himchan ordered and Yongnam sat him down. Before the Bang brother could get a chair, the other had gotten one from the desk. Himchan sat down thankfully.  
“Thanks, Bbang,” Himchan thanked the now grinning Bang twin. “You too Yongnam,” he continued to the other Bang twin who grinned the same grin, before turning serious.  
“Anything for the all mighty Himchan,” he said and bowed deeply, hand flourishing in the air. The almighty Himchan chuckled happily.  
“Could you get me a clean cloth and some lukewarm water, please? We need to clean Zelo up,” he asked Yongnam who bowed deeply and rushed out.

 

“Chan we need to go now, or we’ll be late,” Yongguk told said person who sat on the edge of his bed, looking at Zelo. Himchan waved him off, not moving his eyes from the bruised boy in the bed.  
“Zelo,” he called softly instead. It was endearing how much care seemed to emit from the single word. “Zelo, wake up,” he called again and the boy in the bed groaned with tiredness, dancing on the edge of sleep. “Zelo,” Himchan called again. The tall boy’s eyes fluttered slightly before opening into a small crack. “Zelo you’re at Bbang’s house. Bang and I are going to school now, but you should stay here and rest. There’s no one in the house, so just go take something to eat when you’re hungry, okay,” Himchan told the sleepy boy with a small smile on his lips. Yongguk smiled to himself at the sight.  
“You can text me if there’s anything, okay?” the black-haired boy told the sleepy boy who nodded in return.  
“Come on Chan, we need to go now,” Yongguk said with a small smile on his lips. “Go back to sleep Zelo,” he told the tall boy in the bed who nodded and closed his eyes again. Himchan stood up from the bed and went over to Yongguk.  
“Are you sure we can just leave him here?” he asked doubtfully, looking back at the sleeping figure.  
“He’ll be fine. He’s pretty strong,” Yongguk replied, looking at the tall boy too. For a second the two stood in silence, silently worrying about the tall kid who had been beaten up yesterday. “Come on let’s get to school,” Yongguk said and took a hold of his friend’s wrist and guided him out of the house.

 

Himchan was quiet the entire walk to school, a look of worry lining his face. Yongguk didn’t do anything to break the silence either, worrying about the kid at home in his bed as well.  
“Do you think I should’ve stayed? So he won’t wake up alone,” Himchan asked worried, as they reached the school grounds. The slightly older of the two shook his head.  
“We have to go to school,” he answered. Himchan bit his lip in worry.  
“It’s not nice to beat up by your parents. The first time is the worst,” he told other in a quiet voice as they entered the stream of students. Many looked at the two of them with wondrous faces, but it was the least of the two’s worries now.  
“I can imagine,” Yongguk muttered as a picture of Himchan lying on the floor of his apartment, all broken and battered with cuts from the now broken vase. He looked at his friend. The cuts were healing nicely and were hidden behind a layer of makeup.

“Maybe we should’ve left a note as well,” Himchan worried.  
“I did. One on the door, one on the fridge and one on the mirror in the bathroom,” Yongguk told him, happy that he’d done as his instincts had told him earlier.  
“You did?” Himchan asked, wanting confirmation. Yongguk nodded. “What did they say?” Himchan wanted to know more.  
“They say that he’s at my house and that he’s free to take whatever from the fridge. And to call if anything is needed,” Yongguk told him what he’d written.  
“You’re an angel, thank you, Yongguk,” Himchan thanked him, a line of worry disappearing among the many on his forehead.  
“Anything for our little friend,” Yongguk replied, with his heart fluttering away at 500 miles per hour. Himchan had called him an angel. Not to mention the deep tone of sincerity as he had thanked Yongguk and called him by his name. He only did that when he was truly serious.  
“Good morning, Hyungs, what’s got your faces scrunched up?” Youngjae’s voice asked and soon he was in sight of the two worried boys. The two looked at each other for a short moment.  
“We’ll tell you when Daehyun and Jongup get here,” Yongguk answered, Himchan nodding in agreement beside him. The three boys stood in silence, all occasionally glancing at the door. Slowly it dawned to Youngjae. They were waiting for two, which meant Zelo would be missing from their group.  
"What about Zelo?" He asked the two elder, a hint of worry in his voice. He tried to hide his emotions as his training had made him capable of, but something about this kid made it impossible.  
"He won't be coming today," Yongguk replied seeing Himchan was too busy waving Daehyun over to answer. Jongup was right behind and followed Daehyun to the small group. He glanced around between them.  
"Where's Zelo?" Daehyun spoke Jongup's silent question.  
“And what’s wrong with you two?” Jongup added out loud to Himchan and Yongguk. Himchan looked at him surprised he had spoken before he took a deep breath.  
"Zelo is at Bbang's place. He called me yesterday while his father beat him up," Three loud gasps were heard from the unknowing boys, the loudest from Youngjae.  
"He was beaten up badly. I went to his place as quickly as I could, but he couldn't even stand. I got him out of his apartment with much difficulty and called Bbang who picked us up in the nearby park. He took us home to his place where we got Zelo fixed up, but he is resting in Bbang's room for now," Himchan told the boys, clinging to Yongguk's arm for support and reassurance as his mind went back to the room.  
"Will he be alright?" Youngjae asked worriedly while he looked at the two eldest serious as never before.  
"He will in a few days. But we can't let him go home again. His father almost killed him yesterday. He will be dead if he goes home," Yongguk said. "But I don't know how much longer I can keep him in my home. We don't have much space for him," He said, sadness more than obvious in his voice.

Youngjae's expression changed drastically. It wasn't filled with blank worry anymore. Instead, an expression of deep thought and determination dominated his features. Himchan was watching him and swore he could hear his brain work in its highest gear.  
"Tonight, bring Zelo to my place. My parents are in Europe on a business trip. And it's Friday, so the rest of you come too. We can have a sleep over. Zelo can stay with me until we work something out for him," Youngjae delivered a verbal invitation. He barely managed to finished his last word before Himchan clung to his neck and thanked him over and over again. 

 

 

"There we go," Youngjae sighed as he dropped the last mattress onto the floor in his room. He gave his own king sized bed an extra glance. One side was made extra soft and fluffy. An extra blanket was stuffed onto the mattress, more pillows than necessary and for some odd reason, a teddy bear had found its way to that side too. That side was meant for Zelo.  
"That's only fair." Youngjae nodded to himself as he closed the door behind him and headed to the kitchen. ' _He is hurt. It is only natural to give him special treatment._ ' Youngjae argued with himself. ' _It has nothing to do with him being Zelo._ ' He tried to convince himself. ' _I am just being friendly and doing what everyone else would have done_.' He continued as he prepared cold drinks for the evening.

His mind kept drifting off to the tall kid that evidently had taken a place in his heart but he denied it at any time. He pushed the door to the fridge close with his foot when Zelo occupied his brain again. This time it was an image of his flawless face and a shy smile that made his stomach churn. He tried frantically to calm the sudden eruption of butterflies.   
"Aish," He groaned in despair pouring himself a glass of water only to find himself unable to drink it because of his rebellious stomach.  
"What are you doing to me Z..." He was cut off by the buzzer from the front gate. He put the glass down on the counter and strode to the front door. He looked through the door agent and saw the image of Jongup and Daehyun standing outside. His eyebrows hit his hairline as he noticed their intertwined fingers. He shook his head and chuckled as he pushed the buzzer, seeing both boys jump and release each other's hands.

"The gate is open." He spoke into the microphone. He watched as Jongup opened the gate and silently motioned for Daehyun to walk in first. Youngjae shook his head and laughed softly as he went to the kitchen. He took out two bowls and filled them with chips and placed them in the living room just in time to hear the doorbell. He rushed to the door and opened it for his two new friends.  
"Hello, Hyung, Jongup-ah." He smiled and stepped aside. He saw a car pull up to the gate, to spare Yongguk time and effort he pressed the automatic port opener and it clicked open.

He left the front door open while he showed the newly arrived couple the living room and quickly returned to the door with a warm smile with the sight of Zelo. The smile vanished as quickly as it had appeared. His eyes followed Zelo's figure limping towards him supported by Yongguk. He left the door without a second thought and wrapped an arm around Zelo's waist and took his arm over his own shoulder.  
"I got him." He announced and held Zelo's weight on his shoulders.  
"You sure?" Yongguk asked him.  
"Let Yongguk help too." Himchan cut through before he could say anything and he nodded. Better safe than sorry he agreed reluctantly. Though he did ever so discreetly remove Yongguk's hand from Zelo's hip. Together they managed to support Zelo inside. Youngjae heard Himchan close the door as he lead the way into the living room where both Daehyun and Jongup shot out of the couch to make space for the youngest.  
"You weren't kidding." Daehyun breathed out at the sight of their youngest friend all sore and beaten up.  
"What did you expect? That we painted you a nightmare?" Himchan asked sarcastically and Daehyun quickly apologized.

"Now that we are all here, should we get started? Chips are on the table, I will just fetch the drinks. Can you guys agree on a movie in the meantime?" Youngjae asked as he already was heading towards the kitchen. Once he was safe for any eyes he clutched his shirt just above his rapidly beating heart. It was doing a pretty damn good job trying to escape his ribcage.  
"What's wrong with you?" He muttered as he looked down himself to check his heartbeat couldn't be seen through his shirt. It couldn't. He sighed in relief and opened the fridge. He pulled out the bottles of cold coke, closed the door with his foot and returned to the room. He joined the couple and Himchan on the floor, Yongguk was busy making the movie play.  
"Yongguk?"  
"Shut up. I've almost got it." Yongguk cut Youngjae off.  
"Yongguk? Pre..."  
"I said I almost got it." He cut him off.  
"Pressthemiddlebuttontoopenit." Youngjae rambled before Yongguk could cut him off. Yongguk pressed the assigned button and the disk drawer came out to him. Himchan stifled a laugh next to him and Jongup silently shook his head in amusement.  
"Oh. I knew that." Yongguk said and inserted the disk before he sat down next to Himchan who was still biting his tongue not to laugh.

Youngjae handed out the cans of coke and settled back and leaned against the couch. He focused on the screen and of course, they should have chosen a horror. Youngjae gulped before the movie even had started. He glanced at the couple on his left discretely holding hands between their legs and Himchan and Yongguk were sitting with decent distance between them both focusing on the screen. Youngjae tried to pay attention to the movie on the screen but all his senses were hyper aware of every move the maknae made on the couch. He could even feel the heat from his hand resting behind his head. 

About ten minutes and at least a dozen shocks into the move Zelo's weak voice cut through to Youngjae.  
"Youngjae? Y-you were really soft earlier and my backs hurts, can you help me with some support?" He asked almost inaudibly. But Youngjae heard it just fine. He quickly got up and helped Zelo into a half sitting position before he slid in behind him.  
"Thank you, Hyung." Zelo whispered and rested against Youngjae. Youngjae's heart was racing and his palms were sweaty as he supported Zelo. The movie suddenly wasn't so scary anymore with Zelo's sweet strawberry scent warfing his nostrils and his back against his chest. Everything seemed a whole lot better.


	31. Chapter Thirty One

The movie ended way too early for Youngjae’s liking. Having Zelo lean up against him was so relaxing and comfortable.  
“Ahh, I’m tired,” Daehyun yawned from the floor.  
“I think we all are,” Jongup said next to him, looking around at them. Youngjae looked around as well and saw that everyone else was indeed yawning and had droopy eyes.  
“Let’s get to bed then,” Himchan suggested and stood up, groaning slightly at the effort. “Where do we sleep?”  
“Upstairs in my room,” Youngjae answered. “Do you need help Zelo?” he asked. The boy leaning against him nodded with a small ‘yeah’ escaping his lips.  
“I’ll help as well,” Jongup offered and stood up gracefully from the floor. With the help of him, Youngjae got Zelo up from the couch and they started walking towards his room slowly. Youngjae pushed the door open with his foot and got Zelo to his bed. Carefully, they helped him lay down. The rest of the group entered behind them.  
“Himchan you should take the bed as well,” Youngjae told the older boy.  
“No I can’t do that, it’s your house and your bed,” Himchan replied.  
“Zelo is more comfortable around you, so you should take the bed,” Youngjae countered.  
“I can’t do that. It’s your bed Youngjae, I can’t chase you out of it,” the older argued.  
“It’s fine, Youngjae,” Zelo’s voice interrupted them, and the two looked over at the tall boy in the bed. “I don’t mind you sleeping next to me. And it’s your bed,” Youngjae’s cheeks tinted a slight shade of pink. Himchan smiled.  
“There that settles it,” he concluded and looked around the room. Jongup and Daehyun had already settled themselves on a huge mattress next to each other. A glimpse of their two hands holding each other caught his eye before it was hidden by their duvets.

 

The pain was unbearable. Zelo scrunched his face up as every part of his body was pounding, tense and sore in every possible way. He pulled his legs up and closer to his chest to protect himself from the pain. He hadn't opened his eyes yet, but the snoring surrounding him told him the others were still asleep. He could endure it a bit longer. Or so he thought. It didn't take many minutes before he carefully turned around and saw Youngjae laying next to him. He reached out with an arm and weakly shook his shoulder.  
"Youngjae-ah," he whispered softly though the pain was still obvious. Youngjae opened his eyes and blinked a few times before the brown orbs focussed on him, worry quickly etching its way through the sleep.  
"Zelo?" Youngjae quickly lifted himself up into an elbow.  
"Painkillers. Can you get me some?" Zelo requested almost desperately and Youngjae swung himself out of bed without answering.  
Zelo followed him with his eyes how he shot out of bed and onto the floor. He ran towards the door in a beeline towards the door, earning a groan from someone on the floor.

 

A deep and satisfied breath left the boy’s lips as he scooted back towards the warm source of comfort and protection behind him. It was calm and peaceful. The light snoring was calming Himchan’s mind as he felt more contact with this peculiar warmth he didn’t remember falling asleep against. Without any thought in mind, Himchan enjoyed this part of his sleep. He wasn’t too far gone to sleep, but he wasn’t fully aware of his surroundings either. It was this blissful moment when his pillow was the softest and his duvet the heaviest.  
This moment though, came to an abrupt hold with light shuffling and soft pads over the floor ended with his foot was kicked. Before he could even react the shuffling continued and the sound disappeared out the room. Now fully awake, Himchan pulled his knee to his chest and rubbed the sore spot on his foot with a pained hiss. He sighed as he accepted there was nothing he could do about but wait for it to pass. He straightened back out and snuggled into the warmth behind him and closed his eyes again. He felt something warm tightening around his waist and his eyes shot open. It took him three seconds to realize he was snuggled up against no other than his best friend.  
“Bbang!” he exclaimed loudly and pushed himself off the mattress to the sounds of annoyed, sleepy groans around him. He looked around, his eyes landing on a quick movement in the corner of his eyes. He saw Daehyun shoot away from Jongup who rubbed his chest with a pout. That exact spot where Daehyun’s head had been resting just a second ago. Himchan blinked, doubting his eyes, only Jongup’s continuous rubbing assured him he saw everything. A knowing smile tugged on his lips before he turned to glare at Yongguk. The glare faltered though when a groan came from the fluffy side of the bed and Himchan shot to Zelo’s side. He would deal with Yongguk later.  
“Zelo-ah,” he all but gasps as he runs his fingers through the other’s hair gently. The touch so tender and careful like he would break if he either pressed or pulled too hard. The door creaked open and Youngjae came staggering inside carrying a bottle of pills and a glass of water.  
“Thank you Youngjae,” Himchan breathed out relieved and carefully helped the youngest to sit up against the pillows behind him.   
“Open up,” Youngjae requested sweetly and Himchan looked between them as Zelo opened his mouth, letting the older place two pills on his tongue. Youngjae lifted the glass to Zelo’s lips and tilted it ever so slightly so he could drink without spilling. Once the pills were down he placed the glass down on the nightstand.

 

Frozen. That’s how he felt. Sitting up on the mattress he had been assigned the night before, Daehyun looked around. He could still feel Jongup’s warmth on his cheek. Mixed with the blush he forgot to cover it felt like his cheek was on fire. His eyes were wide and alert as they flickered around the room for any sign that someone had seen them. Yongguk was sitting on his and Himchan’s shared mattress. A little too far on Himchan’s side, Daehyun noted. He also noted how he rubbed the back of his neck with a mix of a yawn and confusion written on his face. He hadn’t seen a thing. He turned his head to the bed where he saw Himchan pampering Zelo under careful observation of Youngjae. They hadn’t seen anything either.  
He felt a hand climbing on top of his and interlaced their fingers. It could only belong to Jongup. He moved his hand away and looked at him over his shoulder. He looked so calm with a soft smile on his lips. Daehyun couldn’t help but admire it. How could he stay so calm when they were almost discovered? He was merely rubbing his chest and holding his hand with that never leaving smile on his face.  
“Should we move downstairs? We can make some breakfast,” Youngjae suggested as he needlessly straightened a pillow Zelo was halfway laying on. “I will help Zelo downstairs,” he added and looked around, mostly at Himchan for confirmation.  
“Zelo needs some food. So do we,” Himchan agreed and helped Zelo getting up with help from Youngjae.  
Daehyun watched Himchan and Youngjae walk out with Zelo, closely followed by Yongguk. Yongguk still looked confused as to why he was woken up with a yell of his name. Not that Daehyun understood any of it himself.  
Something warm and soft, that felt a lot like a pair of lips, pressed against the back of his neck when the others had left.  
“Let’s join them,” Jongup’s breath puffed against his neck, sending shivers down his spine. Turning his head, he saw his boyfriend stand up and held out a hand. Daehyun grabbed it, letting the other pull him up. ‘Let’s go then’ Jongup seemed to say without a word and the two followed the others out the door and downstairs.   
When they arrived at the kitchen, they found Zelo half sitting, half lying on one of the benches. Pillows were holding him up, so he could see what was going on. Flying around, getting things out of cupboards and the fridge were Himchan and Youngjae. Yongguk stood in the middle of it all, looking even more confused as to what was happening.  
“Okay, I think we’ve got everything,” Youngjae said and came to a stop with Himchan stopping next to him. Jongup left Daehyun’s side and went over to sit on one of the chairs by a table in the room.  
“Let’s get started then,” Himchan announced.  
“I can help,” Yongguk piped up, as Daehyun went to sit on a chair next to Jongup.  
“You can slice some fruit,” Himchan told him and pointed to the small pile of fruit on a cutting board. A small chuckle left Daehyun when he saw the telltale twitch of nervousness in Yongguk’s face. From experience at his house when they were younger, he knew that Yongguk shouldn’t come near a knife. He nonetheless nodded and went over to do as said. Himchan started cutting open packages of what looked like bacon and sausages, while Youngjae fired up the stove.  
Suddenly, the handsome face of his boyfriend blocked his vision. The next second he felt plush lips press against his own. Closing his eyes he let himself get lost in the wonderful rush, as he kissed back. And then they were gone. Opening his eyes again, he looked for his boyfriend, who sat on his chair looking like nothing had happened. Daehyun, on the other hand, could feel the heat on his face and his heart galloping away.  
“What’s wrong with you, you’re redder than a tomato,” Youngjae laughed. Daehyun turned his head to look at the boy who had spoken.  
“What?” he asked and now everyone was looking at him like he was weird. He quickly looked at his boyfriend who sent him a short teasing smirk, before turning neutral.  
“I-I-… what?” he stumbled over his own words, heart still racing.  
“You look flustered Daehyun, what are you thinking about?” Himchan grinned. The kiss was still fresh on his lips, and he had to refrain himself to touch them. Desperately, he looked at Jongup who looked at him curiously, silently saying ‘do tell us what you’re thinking about’.  
“Stop it,” he almost whined and covered his cheeks. Happily, everyone started laughing at him, while Jongup looked at him with an innocent smile. This wasn’t fair.  
“Ow!” Yongguk yelled interrupting everyone’s laughter. In a second, Himchan was by the oldest’s side.  
“Bbang, Bbang, Bbang,” Himchan chuckled and turned the eldest around so Daehyun could see. Yongguk’s finger was bleeding from a cut.  
“You shouldn’t have let him come near the knife,” Daehyun grinned, glad that the attention was away from his still heated face.  
“Yes, I see that now. Under the water with it, Bbang,” Himchan ordered, still chuckling.  
“I’ll go get a band-aid,” Youngjae said and walked out of the kitchen.  
“Last time Yongguk was near a knife, he almost cut off his finger, because he tried to play sushi chef,” Daehyun told the others with a laugh and saw the way his friend’s face reddened instantly. Ha. It was his turn to blush. Himchan, Zelo, and Jongup laughed. “You should’ve seen his face when he saw part of his skin flapping off his finger,” Daehyun told them and Yongguk’s face reddened even further if that was possible. A mean glare was sent his way, but Daehyun just grinned back. He could just not have laughed at him.  
“Bbang, you could compete with a tomato,” Himchan laughed, teasing the eldest with a wide grin on his face.  
“I’m back, dry his finger,” Youngjae announced, coming back through the door.  
“Come here, sushi chef,” the second eldest smiled, once again bringing laughter to the room.


	32. Chapter Thirty Two

Jongup couldn’t stop smiling. They had finished breakfast about an hour ago, but they were still talking with each other. Daehyun and Yongguk were making bad jokes, Youngjae was trying to figure them out, as he apparently hadn’t heard them before. Himchan and Zelo were laughing at the trio and Jongup just smiled. This was a comfortable setting. It was safe. He looked at his boyfriend who was laughing hard. The sight was something even the heavens couldn’t compare to.  
“Well, I have to leave you guys for a little while. I need to go to work,” Himchan said as the laughing from the latest joke quietened.  
“I’ll drive you,” Yongguk offered immediately. Jongup looked at the oldest of their bunch. He looked… eager. And he had that same look in his eyes that he always had when he looked at Himchan.  
“No it’s fine, I’ll manage. I have to drop by home, for a little while,” Himchan waved him off. Yongguk’s face fell, but only for a second. Jongup barely saw it. Instead, a worried look appeared. Jongup felt the corners of his mouth turn downward into a frown. Himchan going home wasn’t a good thing. He knew what would wait for the older boy there, and he wasn’t happy about letting the other stay there. But it was his choice.  
“Then I’ll definitely drive you,” Yongguk said steadfast, with a determined look on his face.  
“No, Bbang, it’s fine. I’d rather walk,” Himchan said and turned to look at Zelo. “And I’d rather you stayed with Zelo.” Yongguk looked doubtful and opened his mouth to say something but Himchan cut him to it. “Please Bbang.”  
“Fine,” Yongguk agreed reluctantly with a nod. Jongup looked at Himchan and waited for him to look his way. When he did, he silently told him to be careful. The older nodded and smiled reassuringly, but there was something behind that smile. Looking over at the oldest, he found a worried look and something in his eyes again. That same thing as before.  
“Well, I’ll see you guys later,” Himchan told them happily and with a wave went out of the kitchen.  
“I don’t like it,” Yongguk mumbled once the front door had shut behind Himchan. “Him going alone.” Jongup nodded absentmindedly, as he kept on studying their oldest. It was pretty obvious now that he thought about it. Yongguk was head over heels for Himchan.

 

 

As silently as possible, Himchan opened the door to his mother’s apartment. Sneaking in and across the floor around the mess, he placed some money on the table and sneaked out again. Mission successful! With a sigh of relief he hurried out the building and went up the next hallway.  
Taking a deep breath, he twisted the doorknob and pushed the door up slowly. He stuck his head inside and looked around to see if his father was there.  
“Finally you could get your sorry ass back home,” Himchan’s face paled. Right in front of him his father stood, dark, and angry eyes focused on him.  
“Shit,” he cursed under his breath and went inside. No need to be careful or silent anymore. He was caught. His dad narrowed his eyes at him.  
“What did you just say?” he hissed maliciously. Himchan gulped.  
“Sorry, Sir,” he quickly apologized bowing his head.  
“My son, does not talk like the average, disgusting sailor,” his dad spat at him, anger glowing in his eyes.  
“I’m sorry, Sir, it won’t happen again,” Himchan once again apologized automatically.  
“Now, where is the money? I’ve been waiting patiently for it for a while now,” his dad asked in an almost gentle tone. Hurriedly, Himchan fished the pile of cash for his dad out of his pocket and handed it over. His dad took the money and started counting it. Knowing that he shouldn’t move before the other was finished, Himchan stood still. He could feel a slight shake in his body.  
“There is some money missing,” his dad said disapprovingly. Himchan ducked his head between his shoulders.  
“Sorry, sir.” He apologized. Because he had spent time with his friends, he hadn’t had the time to get all the money for his parents. He had given his mother everything she asked for. His father’s scolding was the easiest to live with afterward.  
A sharp stinging spread across his cheek, as a loud slap echoed through the otherwise silent room. A short whimper of pain escaped him.  
“Where is my money, Himchan?” his dad said in a light tone, with a promise of pain laced in between the words.  
“I’m sorry, Sir. I’ll give them to you Monday,” Himchan promised, looking down at the floor. His dad growled and grabbed his collar, making him look directly in his eyes. They were cold as stone. None of the warmth that once had been there was left. He knew what came next. Nothing could help him now. Closing his eyes, he waited for it to begin.

 

 

Yongguk looked at the clock for the hundredth time today. Himchan still wasn’t back. A hand rested on his shoulder. He looked to the side and saw Jongup. ‘He’s fine’ he seemed to say. Yet he still looked up at the clock anxiously. He should be back by now. The front door finally opened and a rather disheveled looking Himchan entered. The door had barely shut again before Yongguk had crossed the floor and stood beside his best friend.  
“Are you ok? Did it go well? Did you meet your mom? Or your dad?” he asked a storm of questions. Himchan stood breathing heavily, not answering any of them.  
“Are y-” Yongguk started again, but stopped when the other held up a finger, signaling him to wait.  
“Holy shit,” Himchan breathed out and leaned onto his knees. Yongguk looked at his friend worriedly. “I need to work on my cardio,” he panted out in between breaths. The oldest couldn’t help but let out a small smile at that.  
“Chan…,” he started.  
“I’m fine,” Himchan answered with a small shake in his voice, but nonetheless gave small smile. “Nothing too bad happened.” Yongguk couldn’t help but take note in the ‘too’.  
“What do you mean nothing too bad happened? What happened? Are you hurt?” Yongguk immediately started questioning him again.  
“Bbang. I’m fine. I’ll tell you later, okay,” Himchan answered with a small reassuring smile. His face was red. “Now tell me, when are we eating? I’m starving!” Yongguk nodded. At least he was getting an answer later.  
“Youngjae is making it under Zelo’s surveillance,” Daehyun said, popping his head through the door from the kitchen. Himchan chuckled and shrugged off his coat. Yongguk hurriedly took the coat from him and hung it up for him with a wide smile. Yeah, he was a gentleman! Himchan thanked him as he placed his shoes on the shoe rack and walked to the kitchen, Yongguk following right behind. Daehyun placed a pot on the table, and Jongup was right behind him with a stack of plates. Youngjae was carefully helping Zelo towards the table with an arm around his waist to hold him up. They all joined by the table.  
There was a small moment of silence as they all looked at food in front of them.  
“Well, I’m not waiting for you if you’re going to just stare,” Himchan announced, breaking the silence and started pouring food on his plate. Yongguk smiled at the boy. How could he be so perfect? Knowing when to talk and what to say.  
All six of them filled their plates, Youngjae helped Zelo with his, and they were eating with a light buzzing of chatting around the table.  
“You know, you don’t have to keep it a secret,” Himchan said suddenly, loudly, looking at Daehyun and Jongup who were sitting next to each other.  
“What?” Daehyun asked in confusion.  
“Well, it’s quite obvious with the hand holding and the sleeping on each other, not to mention that kiss this morning. We’re not gonna judge you, so no worries, you can say it,” Himchan continued. Yongguk looked at him in confusion and saw Zelo and Youngjae do the same thing. Daehyun was beet red on the other hand and spluttered something along the lines of ‘how did you know’, but he wasn’t sure. Jongup, on the other hand, took it calmly.  
“We’re together. He’s my boyfriend,” he said out loud in a gentle voice, before pressing a small kiss to Daehyun’s cheek. Yongguk’s jaw fell to the floor.  
“He talks!” Youngjae yelled in surprise and threw his hands up in the air. Zelo burst out laughing, holding his stomach in a desperate attempt to keep it still. Tears started appearing at the corners of his eyes, as he kept on laughing. Around the table, chuckles were heard from the others, except for Youngjae.  
“What? What’s so funny?” he asked. Full blown laughter sounded from the rest around the table. Zelo fell to the side, head landing on Youngjae’s shoulder.  
“It hurts,” he laughed heartily as he held his stomach.

 

When they finished, they helped each other with the dishes, except for Zelo. And Himchan was perfect as he did everything. Yongguk couldn’t keep his eyes off the perfect human being.  
The night disappeared way too fast, and it was around midnight when they agreed to go to bed. All of them were nodding off. Soon they were in each their bed, Youngjae and Zelo on the bed, Jongup and Daehyun intertwined on a mattress and Himchan and himself on a mattress. Yongguk was jealous. He wanted to be intertwined with Himchan like the new couple on the other mattress was.  
They had been silent for some time. Yongguk was staring at the ceiling as he listened to the others’ light snoring when Himchan broke the silence.  
“I hit him. My dad I mean.” He said and Yongguk turned to look at him.  
“You did what?” He asked. He clearly doubted he had heard his best friend correctly.  
“He hit me for not bringing him enough money. I hit back, and then I ran.” He explained and faced Yongguk, who stared at him wide-eyed in the dark.  
“That’s… that’s…,” Yongguk tried to find the right words.  
“I’m a horrible person, I know, I shouldn’t hit my dad,” Himchan sighed helplessly.  
“No! No not at all, you’re a wonderful person, don’t ever doubt that. I’m glad that you didn’t let him just hit you. You’re worth so much more than just being pushed around like you are with your parents,” Yongguk told him, trying to formulate his pride correctly.  
“Thanks, Bbang,” the other thanked him quietly. There was a warmth in the words and Yongguk could feel his heart beat faster in his chest. With that nothing else was said and Yongguk fell asleep with a smile on his face.


	33. Chapter Thirty Three

Yongguk was drunk. The world was a dizzy place, and he wasn’t sure if he could walk. Next to him sat Himchan, just as drunk, possibly more. They had started composing a song for B.A.P earlier that day and it had gone really well, so they were celebrating. Yongguk was buying, as Himchan had to spend his money on his parents. Yongnam was with them as well, on the other side of Himchan, possibly the soberest of them all, which didn’t take much. The three of them were sitting at the bar, drinking and talking, listening to the music being played. Though currently, drunken, comfortable silence existed between the three.  
“I talked to my boss earlier over the phone,” Yongguk told them over the music. “He agreed to my proposal.” Yongnam and Himchan looked at him in confusion.  
“When we finish the song and everything, we can perform it here if he likes it,” Yongguk explained with a smile. Yongnam clapped and threw him a thumbs up. Himchan beamed in his hood and threw an arm around him and drew him into an awkward hug.  
“That’s my boy,” Himchan said fondly, smiling brightly. Yongguk smiled, gums showing. “We should tell the others tomorrow. I don’t think it’s safe for us to text them right now,” Himchan continued and released Yongguk. Yongguk laughed and agreed while Yongnam called for the bartender.  
“This calls for another round. On me, this time,” Yongnam said and soon after the three cheered and downed a shot of whatever it was this time. None of them really knew nor cared. The bartender was one of Yongguk’s colleagues after all, and they had all talked to each other several times. Himchan downed another shot and sighed in content, eyes half closed.  
“Bbang,” Himchan started and Yongguk hummed to indicate he was listening. “I love you with all my butt,” Himchan told him.  
“Huh?” Yongguk asked, completely confused and out-weirded. All his butt?  
“I would say heart, but my butt is bigger,” Himchan carried on and nodded thoughtfully as if it made all the sense in the world. Despite the weird term it was, a smile stretched on Yongguk’s lips. His friend loved him with all his butt. At least it was a start? “And my butt is perfect,” Himchan added smiling widely. Yongguk wouldn’t admit it out loud, but it was true. It would be a lie if he said he hadn’t looked at it before.  
“What about me?” Yongnam whined from the other side.  
“I’ll give you my foot,” Himchan answered after a while of thinking. Yongnam pouted.  
“But it’s not as big as your butt,” he complained.  
“No but it keeps growing. Did you know feet have the potential to keep growing and growing and growing? Also, it consists of three sections-” Himchan started babbling.  
“Since when were you an expert on feet?” Yongguk asked lazily, trying to get over the disappointment that his brother got a body part as well.   
“Since Hyosung complained about her feet,” Himchan answered with a drunken grin.  
“Well I’m going to take my butt and use my feet to get to the bathroom,” Yongnam announced drunkenly. Yongguk smiled to himself. Finally, he got Himchan for himself.  
“We need to get Zelo out of his home as fast as possible. And somehow make it possible for him to go to school at the same time,” Himchan muttered out and let his head fall down on the bar, head turned towards Yongguk.  
“We need to get you out, too,” Yongguk sighed to himself as he nodded.  
“What did you say?” the perfect being next to him asked, squinting his eyes at him. Yongguk squinted his eyes back. “Are you mocking me?” Himchan asked with a hint of surprise.  
“Nope,” Yongguk replied hurriedly with a smile, widening his eyes a bit. A movement and a bump behind Himchan brought his and the other’s attention to it.  
There stood Yongnam with one of his feet on the bar, the other firmly on the ground, smirking at the two of them.  
“So, you come here often?” Yongguk’s brother asked with a greasy voice to Himchan and wiggled his eyebrows. Himchan burst out in laughter. Yongnam gave the boy a wink, causing him to laugh even harder. Yongguk scowled. How come his brother could make his friend laugh so hard, yet he couldn’t. He wanted to make Himchan happy too.  
Yongnam sat down with a grin on his face and turned towards Himchan. He then looked down and then up again with a look of surprise on his face.  
“Is that a mirror in your pants because I see myself in them,” Yongguk’s twin flirted shamelessly. Yongguk felt his insides boil. How could he say that!?  
“Get in line, peasant,” Himchan waved him off with a wide smile.

 

The sun shone on Himchan’s face, warming it nicely. Basking in the warmth, he snuggled deeper underneath the duvet. This was nice. It felt like a moment of happiness and comfort. Birds chirping could be heard and he hummed in content at the beautiful melody. A fresh breeze ruffled the tips of his hair slightly, adding a little more of comfort to the wonderful moment.  
A bird seemed to land closer to the window as the birdsong turned louder. Himchan smiled contently. The bird sang beautifully and happily.  
Something ruffled next to him and a painful groan emitted from the person next to him.  
“Someone shut that bird up,” a complaint was spat out.  
“Shush, Bbang, you’ll scare the bird away,” Himchan shushed his friend, not wanting to have the moment ruined.  
“Don’t shush, Guk, scare the bird away,” another voice came from the floor, groaning.  
“You scare the bird away,” Yongguk snapped back, the same groan in his voice as before. Himchan felt his friend move beside him. “Who opened the damn window anyways?”  
“You did,” Yongnam answered from the floor. “Doofus.”  
“Shut up, Nam, you’re the one who thought it’d get too warm with 3 people in one room,” Yongguk replied tiredly.  
“Was not,” the twin on the mattress on the floor replied.  
“Was too, now shut it. You’re giving me a headache,” Yongguk groaned.  
“Respect your elders,” Yongnam bickered on.  
“Who you? You’re only 3 minutes older than me, butthead.”  
“Still older.”  
The birdsong stopped as the flutter of wings could be heard instead.  
“Great now the bird flew away because of your bickering,” Himchan sighed. A groaning chorus of ‘thank god’ came from the twins.  
Now that the bird was gone and its happy tweeting was gone, Himchan saw no reason to stay in his bed. He swung off the duvet and planted his feet on the wooden floor of Yongguk’s room. Displeased grunts came from the twins as he stretched and walked out of the room not so silently.  
Humming a light tune Himchan started rummaging through the Bang’s kitchen for something to make for breakfast. Unlike the twins, he wasn’t hungover and felt like the alcohol from the night before had given him a boost of energy. He found a mix for pancakes and instantly got to work preparing breakfast for his friends. While he worked he thought back to the night before trying to recall all the events. He smiled to himself and shook his head in amusement as images of Yongnam’s shameless flirting flashed in his mind. He was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard two pairs of feet being dragged along the floor in the hallway accompanied by a few displeased grunts. He chuckled to himself and flipped a pancake.  
“Good morning,” he greeted them and earned a chorus of groans in return. “Breakfast is almost done, so if you will set the table we can eat,” Himchan continued in his light tune and the twins moved towards the cupboard to take the plates looking only half alive. The two of them bumped into each other and started muttering curses at each other. Himchan glanced over to see what had them cursing and another memory from last night had him burst out into unrestrained laughter. The twins made faces of pain as he laughed on.  
“Chan,” Yongguk begged, to get him to stop laughing, but he couldn’t. An image of pressing the twins faces together last night, while ordering them to kiss was sketched out before him. Between gasps of laughter, he told them of what they had reminded him of.  
The twins paled and looked at each other for a moment before looking back at Himchan.  
“Eeew,” they said in chorus, making the same disgusted face. Himchan only laughed harder.  
“Chan,” Yongguk started.  
“Your highness,” Yongnam interrupted. “With your permission, I’d like to retreat to my quarters, where within I will try to forget what you just told me,” still chuckling, Himchan shooed the older twin away.  
“Let’s eat,” he told Yongguk when they had set the table, who nodded and cringed as he pulled out the chair from the table. The two of them dug in and Himchan led out a moan of approval. These pancakes were a success.  
“Chan,” Yongguk groaned. “Could you please keep it down?”  
“Does someone have a hangover?” Himchan replied in a fake pity voice.  
“Yes,” his friend answered, obviously pitying himself. Himchan chuckled, but kept quiet afterward, leaving them in peaceful silence.  
“We should figure out what we should do with Zelo,” Himchan interrupted the silence when they were almost finished eating. Yongguk nodded.  
“He can’t stay with Youngjae forever, he can’t stay with me either, and you can’t bring him to your place,” Yongguk said.  
“What about Daehyun or Jongup?” Himchan asked.  
“Daehyun’s parents would never allow it. Even I don’t get to spend the night unless it’s really really late. And Jongup’s parents don’t have a lot of money,” Yongguk told him. Himchan frowned.  
“What can we do then? I don’t want him back in that place. It’s horrible,” he almost mumbled with a shudder, thinking about his own family. Zelo’s family was slowly turning into something in the likes of his own and the poor boy didn’t deserve that life. It was horrible. The word itself meant so much more after living like he had the past couple of years. Horrible, the word didn’t describe that feeling he got as he was insulted and beat up by his parents. The parents that once loved him and took care of him. Horrible wasn’t enough. And Zelo didn’t deserve that. He shouldn’t fight with that.  
“You could move out with Zelo,” Yongguk said quietly after a long silence, interrupting Himchan’s thoughts. He looked at his friend carefully.  
“I can’t do that, Bbang,” Himchan shook his head. He couldn’t abandon his parents.  
“Why not? You have the money for it,” the slightly older argued.  
“I can’t just abandon my parents, they need me,” Himchan insisted.  
“So what. They’ve already abandoned you,” Yongguk reminded him.  
“I can’t just abandon them! They’re my parents!”  
“Well, they don’t act like it,”  
“Yongguk!” Himchan exclaimed and stood up. “I can’t!”  
“Fine. I’ll talk to my parents to see if he can stay for a while after Youngjae’s parents come back,” Yongguk sighed, rubbing his temples.

 

 

 

 

A small visual representation of what Yongnam looks like at the club. Of course a slightly hairy version of it, but still.

 


	34. Chapter Thirty Four

Youngjae waved to Daehyun and Jongup as they disappeared around the corner. As soon as they were gone, he hurried inside the house again to the couch, where Zelo was lying. The said person looked up with a small smile that warmed his heart.

“Thank you for letting me stay here,” Zelo said in a small voice.

“No problem,” Youngjae replied as he sat down by the other’s feet. “How are you feeling?” he asked the younger.  
“Beat up, but better,” he answered with a slightly wider smile. Youngjae smiled back. “There is this dance show I’m watching, it’s starting in five minutes. Can I watch it here?”

“Yes of course,” Youngjae answered and scrambled after the tv remote. “Which channel is it on?”

“Button number 2 at home,” Zelo replied shyly. Youngjae’s heart warmed. That had got to be the cutest thing he had ever seen. He pressed button number 2 on the remote and the tv flickered on. Advertisements were on, but the look on Zelo’s face told him it was the right channel. Zelo shifted a bit on the couch to get a better view of the screen. Youngjae let his leg fill out the space behind Zelo as he sat comfortably as well.

The show began and Youngjae saw the other's eyes sparkle like Christmas lights. Despite the swollen face, Zelo was smiling the widest he had since he arrived at his home. And it was beautiful.

Zelo’s excitement was mesmerizing and Youngjae found himself looking at the boy more often than the TV. He noticed how Zelo was holding his breath whenever something happened on stage that could easily go wrong or whenever some extraordinary show was put on. He noticed how he exhaled only to gasp for air again with the next move. He noticed how Zelo barely blinked and when he did, he blinked rapidly for a few seconds before keeping his eyes open for something nearing a minute at the time. It didn’t take long into the show before Youngjae noticed Zelo was rocking his feet up and down to the rhythm and his hands couldn’t stay still. His passion for dancing was undeniable. And seeing that such a simple thing like a dance show could take Zelo’s mind off everything else amused Youngjae. It intrigued him.

“Wow, that was so cool,” Zelo commented softly when the show ended. Youngjae agreed absentmindedly, still just watching the other. The younger turned his face to him and smiled brightly, making Youngjae feel something in his stomach that simply melted. He could stay like this all day just watching Zelo being happy.

“Hyung?” Zelo’s voice cut into his thoughts. How long had he been staring? He averted his gaze and fought the heat in his cheeks. “Which games do you have?” Zelo asked and pointed towards the controller to his PlayStation below the television.

“Let me just get the box, then you can take a look yourself,” Youngjae said and carefully leaped out of the couch without touching Zelo. He collected the said box from next to the PlayStation and handed it to Zelo. The younger instantly took off the lid and searched through them. Youngjae sat down again and watched how Zelo’s tongue peeked out between his lips as he focused on the content. That was until Zelo erupted into a fit of laughter and held up a game of Barbie and the Twelve Dancing Princesses.

“That’s...That’s my cousin’s,” Youngjae quickly defending himself. He wasn’t going to admit having such a game to Zelo.

“Your cousin’s?” Zelo asked with a teasing smile. Youngjae reached for the game and hid it from Zelo’s view.

“Yes, my cousin’s,” Youngjae insisted and motioned to the box. “Now find a game you want to play,” He said and Zelo returned to his task with a light chuckle. Youngjae found himself thinking that a little embarrassment wasn’t so bad if he got Zelo to laugh like that.

“Can we play this?” Zelo asked and held up a racing game. Youngjae took the game, the box and his Barbie Princesses game and went back to the console. He put the Barbie game back into the box and placed the lid over it before Zelo would ask more questions about it. He inserted the disc into the PlayStation and rolled out the controllers for Zelo and himself.

It didn’t take many minutes before they were both completely engrossed in the game. One was yelling louder at the other in the friendly banter as they raced each other.

“Rematch! Rematch!” Youngjae demanded when he lost to his dongsaeng and Zelo complied with a confident smirk.

Several rounds later Youngjae finally managed to win but he had Zelo suspected for letting him win this round. The older was jumping around in his victory dance and Zelo’s laughter accompanied it, urging him to go on.

“Let’s play something else, Hyung,” Zelo asked and Youngjae stopped celebrating and agreed.  
“What about we play chess?” Youngjae asked jokingly and Zelo scrunched up his face.  
“Ew, no. Nerd,” He laughed and Youngjae laughed along and found a tactical game where they should work together instead of against each other. Zelo agreed and sat up on the couch. When Youngjae sat down next to him with his controller in hand, Zelo leaned against him silently as the game loaded. Youngjae heart was about to burst through his ribcage as he sat there unable to move.

“Hyung? Something wrong?” Zelo’s voice asked all too close to his ear and he was brought back to reality. A reality consisting of Zelo leaning against him and a game. But mostly Zelo leaning against him.

“I’m fine,” He managed to say, his voice surprisingly calm, considering the amount of butterflies fluttering around in his stomach right then.

“Why aren’t you playing then?” Zelo asked and Youngjae shook his head.

“I was just distracted. Let’s play,” He said and collected himself enough to play somewhat decently.

After playing for hours their game was interrupted by a growl. A growl coming from Zelo’s stomach and he chuckled embarrassedly, holding his arm over it shyly.

“I’m hungry,” He said and paused the game. “Can we get something to eat?” He asked and Youngjae mentally cursed himself for not thinking of Zelo’s basic needs, such like food.

“Of course. It’s just...I don’t know how to cook and I forgot to ask Himchan Hyung,” He admitted and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

“It’s okay, I can tell you how and help as much as I can,” the younger assured him. It didn’t take Youngjae many seconds to agree, this way he could spend more time with Zelo and maybe even learn a thing or two.

Youngjae stood up from the couch and rolled the controllers out of the way so Zelo wouldn’t fall and get hurt even more. He returned to his side and leaned down to take his arm over his shoulder. He got him raised and wrapped his arm around his waist, his fingers curling on Zelo’s hip for support. Slowly but safely they moved to the kitchen where Zelo was placed on the bench with pillows where he had been sitting earlier that morning as well. Zelo thanked him and settled comfortably between the pillows.

“What do you want?” Youngjae asked and wore an apron.

“Fried rice and chicken?” Zelo suggested and Youngjae didn’t hesitate to agree with him.

“Okay, what do I need to do?” He asked the younger who tapped his lips in thought.

“Hand me a cutting board, knife, and vegetables. Then you can boil some rice.” Zelo said and Youngjae instantly got to work. He placed Zelo’s tools before him and went to the rice cooker on the table.

“How does this work?” He asked and scratched his cheek slightly in thought. “Add rice and water, the measurements are on the inside of the cooker,” Zelo explained as he cut and sliced the vegetables carefully. Youngjae looked at him every time he turned to make sure he didn’t cut off a finger or two. And secretly because Zelo was looking adorable as he sat there completely focused on the vegetables. He had started to make the rice and he turned to face Zelo again.

“What then?” He asked and Zelo looked up.

“Slice the chicken,” Zelo said and resumed his task of cutting. Youngjae got his own cutting board, knife, and the chicken from the fridge and sat down next to Zelo on the bench.

“How do I cut it?” He asked and felt his cheeks heating. He felt utterly helpless in a kitchen. Zelo reached over and held Youngjae’s knife and cut off three slices that were perfect in size to eat. Youngjae’s heart was again beating frantically because Zelo had his hand on top of his own as he cut.

“Like that,” Zelo said and picked up his own knife like nothing had happened and continued with his vegetables. The cooker interrupted the peaceful silence between them and Youngjae stood up to turn it off. “Just finish the chicken. The cooker turns off on its own,” Zelo said and Youngjae complied, carefully slicing the chicken into sizes perfect to eat. “Once you’re done you take the chicken and fry it in a pan. When it’s almost done you add the vegetables and rice and some oyster sauce.” Zelo guided and Youngjae did his very best to do exactly like he said he should.

15 minutes and a slightly burnt finger later Youngjae sat down next to Zelo with two plates with food, his thigh discretely resting against Zelo’s. Zelo picked up his chopsticks and took a bite of the much-needed good. He hummed and finished his food quickly.

“Wow, Hyung. This is really delicious,” Zelo complimented the food. Youngjae quickly swallowed his bite before he spluttered parts of sentences in a way that didn’t make sense with his heart racing. He looked at the younger only to be met by confused eyes and even more confused expression. Youngjae took a deep breath and resisted the urge to clap the heat out of his cheeks.

“You did half of it. It’s not like I did much,” Youngjae said and Zelo shook his head.

“You cook better than my mother and she had more years of practice than you,” Zelo complimented again. Youngjae found his cheeks reddening to a dangerous red color and denied Zelo’s statement.

“I couldn’t have done it without you. You told me what to do. I was just your arms and legs while you can’t move,” Youngjae insisted and Zelo shook his head smiling.

“If you say so Hyung. If you say so,” he chuckled and Youngjae took another bite before he could embarrass himself further.


	35. Chapter Thirty Five

“Finally you’re back with my money, you worthless piece of shit!” Himchan’s dad screamed the second the door opened. The boy flinched at the sound. He really hoped he was hidden behind the door so his dad couldn’t see it. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself and straightened his back before he walked in. He tossed the stack of money on the coffee table in front of his dad and crossed his arms over his chest. Small bits of plastic bags and paper spread into the air from the small air the money made around the table. Himchan scoffed as he concluded they were from drugs his father had taken since last time he was there and cleared the table.

“Now go get me a beer,” His dad ordered without a care he was talking to his child. Himchan did as he was told without hesitation. On his way, he rolled his eyes at the older’s behavior. He made sure his father couldn’t see it. He didn’t need another fight with his dad. It also seemed like his dad had forgotten about the last time when he had slapped him.

“Sit down son,” His dad said, his voice much softer now and when Himchan returned from the kitchen. He placed the can of beer down in front of his dad and sat down next to him after a few seconds of reluctance.

He had barely sat down on the couch before his dad punched him in the face. The fist hit right below his eye and he groaned in pain. He was punched back into the couch and his cheekbone was throbbing. He could already feel the blood collect under his skin. He knew it would swell and bruise later, along with everywhere else on his body. When he regained his balance he covered his face with his hand for pointless protection and a few soothing touches to the spot. He removed the hand just in time to block the next fist coming towards his face, barely managing to catch his father’s wrist. It didn’t help much because his father was much stronger than himself. Without any chance to react he found himself thrown across the coffee table. Himchan flailed in an attempt of catching himself and avoid further harm which caused him to knock over his dad’s beer. This only fueled said person’s anger further. Himchan heard his dad stand up behind him and before he could move the slightest bit, his elbow dug into his back. He had gotten a painful blow to the kidney and he coughed from the impact, the pain stealing his breath away.

“That can teach you not to hit your father,” His dad sneered.

Himchan squirmed and kicked with his legs for something to get away from his dad. Anything that could kick him across the table so he was out of reach for the larger male. Just as he managed to kick the couch and scoot forward his dad grabbed his wrist and held him. His dad twisted his arm and with the force behind Himchan’s kick that was enough to make him scream. His arm had been close to getting dislocated considering the loud pop and crack from said joint. When his dad let go of his wrist, Himchan rolled and managed to lay on his back so he was facing the monster that called himself a dad.

“Let me go,” he pleaded with painful tears rolling down his cheeks. “Please stop,” He continued to beg but his dad was not going to stop.  
“No you bitch,” his dad cursed at him and aimed a fist towards his face yet again. Himchan missed the hit by a mere inch by rolling over. A painful yell came from his father as he slammed his fist into the hard surface of the table instead of his face. Himchan was released fully and scrambled to get on his feet and away from the older. Himchan bit down on the tip of his tongue as he took one last look at his father with cold eyes. He fled the apartment and down the stairs speeding up as he heard footsteps behind. His dad was coming after him. He ran down the stairs three steps at the time barely managing to keep his balance through his blurred vision. He swung the front door open and sprinted down the road and wished for his dad not to see him. He crossed the road and sprinted around the building where he knew Jongup was living and searched for a place to hide. He could hear his dad skidding to a stop on the street and he sped up. He ran through the grass, knowing it would make less noise than the pavement. He didn't dare look back but headed for the playground. He was aware of the slide being a pipe and he figured he would hide up there. He could hide in that until his dad had given up.

 

“So, this is where you’ll be staying for the next week,” Yongguk said and opened the door to show his room to the younger. He had arranged a mattress on the floor to himself and Zelo would be having his bed until he had to leave. His parents had agreed to let him stay for a week in hope that they could figure out a permanent solution for the youngest of their group.

“Thank you Hyung,” Zelo muttered meekly behind with support of Youngjae - not that he needed it, but Youngjae had insisted. Youngjae had refused to stay back at his own place when Yongguk came to pick up Zelo. He had to make sure everything was good enough. Yongguk couldn’t deny him that.

“Boys, dinner will be ready in five. Just put Zelo’s luggage in the room and wash up. Youngjae, would you like to stay for dinner?” His mother’s voice sounded from downstairs. Yongguk dumped the duffel bag Zelo had brought by the end of the bed and closed the door again.  
“You heard her,” he smiled and pointed to a door across the hall. “Bathroom is there,” he explained. “Would you like to stay?” He directed the question at Youngjae who shook his head shortly albeit reluctantly.

“My parents will be back in half an hour. I need to get going,” Youngjae politely declined and helped Zelo into the bathroom and closed the door as he exited it. “Stay with Zelo. I will find the way out myself and thank your mother for the offer. Take care of him,” Yongguk was taken aback by the sincerity in the younger’s eyes by the last request. He nodded and patted Youngjae’s shoulder in reassurance. He didn’t know what had the younger asking that from him, but he wasn’t going to break the promise.

“Thank you, Hyung,” Youngjae said before he hurried down the stairs. Yongguk heard his mother say goodbye to his friend and he turned back to the bathroom door.

While he waited for Zelo to finish washing up, Yongguk pulled his phone out of his pocket and frowned when he was met by his usual background. He had hoped to see a message from Himchan. He unlocked the phone and decided he would take the first step by himself. He wrote a quick message, asking him how it had gone at dad’s and sent it just time for the bathroom door to open. Yongguk stepped closer and Zelo wrapped himself around him for support from Youngjae’s order.  
“Hyung, I can walk myself,” Zelo said and Yongguk instantly let go with a somewhat awkward chuckle.  
“Of course you can,” he said and walked downstairs together. Yongguk was in front so he was ready to catch the younger if he should fall.

After dinner Yongguk and Zelo went back upstairs to the eldest’s room. They sat on the bed Zelo had been assigned and Yongguk took out his phone only to frown at the background again. Still nothing from Himchan. Putting his phone back into his pocket he looked at Zelo and noticed the boy smiling. He hadn’t seen him smile for a while. Even with his still swollen face did he smile while he looked at the screen of his phone. Yongguk was curious. He wanted to know who the boy was texting so eagerly his fingers could barely keep up as they tapped silently over the screen. Unlike his fingers, the small laughs that emitted from Zelo rang through the otherwise silent room. Yongguk smiled at the view before he turned back to his own phone again. He tried calling Himchan but the younger didn’t pick up. Frowning he put down his phone and pursed his lips in worry. A light chortle from the bed had him momentarily smiling at Zelo’s happiness. He deserved it. He definitely did.

 

Daehyun frowned at his phone. He had tried calling him a few times without success. Yongguk had texted him a few minutes prior and asked if he knew what Himchan was doing. He obviously didn’t, so he had gone for plan A: call him. It didn’t work.

“He didn’t answer,” Jongup stated from his bed. Daehyun turned around in his chair to face his boyfriend.

“No,” he said needlessly. ‘Obviously’ his boyfriend seemed to say silently. “Why?”

“If he doesn’t answer Yongguk, why should he answer you?”

“True,” Daehyun nodded in agreement. “Do you know where he lives?” Jongup stayed silent, but he got the message. His boyfriend knew but wasn’t sure whether or not he should tell him.

“Come on, please. Yongguk’s worried, I’m getting worried and you’re worried too. There’s something fishy going on in Himchan’s household and don’t deny it because I saw how worried Yongguk was when Himchan went home,”

Jongup stood up, walked over to him and leaned in close. Shortly sending him a wide smile that made Daehyun’s breath hitch, he leaned in closer and kissed him. Too soon he pulled back and walked over to the door. ‘Let’s go then’ he seemed to say as he reached out with his hand for him to take. With a smile, Daehyun took his boyfriend’s hand and was led out of his room.

“Where are you two going?” his mom asked as they entered the living room.

“We’re going to Himchan’s place,” Daehyun answered.

“Be sure to be back for dinner, okay honey?” his mom went on and he answered affirmatively. “Jongup, are you still staying for dinner?” she called after them as they were putting on their shoes.

“If I may, Mrs. Jung,” the person in question answered.

“He’s staying mom,” Daehyun called out before anyone could say anything else. “Bye!” he called out and they were out.

They walked hand in hand in the same direction of where Jongup lived.

“Does Himchan live near you?” he asked his boyfriend who nodded.

They walked in silence until they reached Jongup’s street. Daehyun stopped up.

“He lives here? In the same apartment building as you?” he asked confused. Jongup shook his head and pointed to the run down apartment block across the street.  
“There? But that’s for poor people. Why would Himchan live there when he’s a model and wears expensive clothes?” Jongup gave him a look that asked him to keep everything he told him a secret and he nodded in return.

“Himchan lives with his parents, but they live in each their apartment. They don’t have jobs, so Himchan pays for everything. The rent, food and also their drinking and so on,” Jongup explained.  
“Drinking? As in alcohol? Do they get violent?” Daehyun asked. Jongup nodded with a sad look in his eyes. “So the time Himchan showed up in the recording studio with cuts and bruises, that was because of his parents?” Once again his boyfriend nodded. He looked down to the ground. That was horrible. Himchan went through that, yet he was still a bright person when he talked to them. No wonder he got protective of Zelo when he knew what the boy was going through.


	36. Chapter Thirty Six

“Shh, be quiet,” Daehyun told his boyfriend who was crouching next to him behind a bush. It only earned him an eye-roll from his boyfriend. Even Daehyun knew between the two of them Jongup was the one that was the most silent. Daehyun lifted a stick in the bush and revealed a small peephole between the leaves. His boyfriend leaned forward to peep out through the hole. Daehyun sunk his front teeth into his lower lip as he saw the flexing muscles under the skin on Jongup’s shoulders. He turned his head slightly and let his eyes rake over the other’s back as he squirmed a bit to make himself settle comfortably on the ground.

“Stop staring and focus,” Jongup’s voice cut through his mind as his eyes reached his pert ass. Daehyun snapped his head towards Jongup and blushed at being caught. Instead of saying anything, he simply leaned closer to the hole in the bush only to make Jongup chuckle.

“I already told you he is not there,” Jongup explained much to Daehyun’s further embarrassment.

“I was just checking to make sure,” Daehyun said and looked off to the side. Damn his boyfriend’s body for being distracting. He rolled out of the bush, landed with one knee on the ground, still crouching and his fist against the ground for balance as he looked around dramatically. He looked around quickly before continuing into a standing position. He was in spy mode all the way. He waved at Jongup to join him and he stepped out of the bush with his hands in his pockets only gaining half the attention Daehyun had gotten. Daehyun started walking down the street only to feel his boyfriend’s fingers curl in the back of his shirt.

“Wrong way, Mister,” Jongup said and pulled him in the opposite direction.

“Why aren’t we going to Himchan’s place? It’s him we are looking for,” Daehyun said confused. He had tried to bring Jongup towards the street where both Jongup and Himchan lived, but Jongup had always stopped him.

“Because he isn’t there. It would be a waste of time,” Jongup said for the nth time.

“How do you know?” Daehyun demanded to know as he turned to look at his younger boyfriend.

“If he was at home with his drunk parents he would answer the phone immediately. He would try to escape his reality there. You haven’t seen him walk home, I have. And trust me, he isn’t happy about being at home,” Jongup explained his boyfriend. Daehyun looked at the younger with a raised eyebrow like he wasn’t entirely convinced. Finally, he nodded and accepted Jongup’s explanation. At least for now.

He pulled the younger with him to hide behind a tree. He had Jongup pinned against the stem of the tree as he peeped out on either side of it. He looked back at the dancer and subconsciously licked his lips when he saw his position.

“Don’t. We need to find Himchan,” Jongup reminded him but Daehyun leaned in for a kiss nonetheless. He ended up stealing just a peck because Jongup’s fingers were jabbing his sides.

“Let’s go look through the next park. It just a block away,” Daehyun suggested and held out his hand for Jongup to take. He smiled when he felt Jongup’s fingers between his own. He was always surprised how perfectly they fit there. They walked together towards the park hand in hand until they got close enough to see the fences. Daehyun let go of Jongup’s hand and crouched down along the bushes. He tugged the leg of his boyfriend’s pants and pointed towards the ground, silently asking them to join him. Jongup crouched down next to him and they snuck forward together side by side. Daehyun lifted his head every now and then to look into the park.

“He doesn’t seem to be there,” Daehyun said after several minutes of peeking inside the park. Jongup stuck his head up and looked into the park. He didn’t look for long before he hit Daehyun at the back of his head gently.

“He’s here,” He said simply and stood up, already heading inside the park. Daehyun stayed on the ground too baffled to follow. Himchan was there? Where? He looked into the park again, only to see Jongup’s back some distance away from him. He scrambled to his feet and ran up to Jongup.

“We should hide,” Daehyun whisper-yelled at his boyfriend.

“Why?” Jongup asked with no sign of interest in the reason.

“He could see us,” Daehyun said and flailed his arms around like it was the end of the world if they were.

“He won’t,”

“How do you know?”

“He is asleep on the bench over there under the blanket,” Jongup said and pointed to a lump of fluffy fabric.

“Are you sure?” Daehyun asked not entirely sure his boyfriend was right about his assumption about Himchan.

“Positive. Now, why are you acting like a child?” Jongup asked referring to Daehyun’s flailing.

“A ninja is never seen,” He replied with a smug smile and Jongup rolled his eyes. The younger walked towards their older friend and crouched down next to the bench. Daehyun reached out to lift the blanket off of Himchan’s head to reveal his face but Jongup slapped his hand away.

“Don’t. He doesn’t want people to know,” Jongup whispered at Daehyun. Daehyun nodded in understanding. He could see where Jongup got that idea from.

“Chan?” Jongup spoke softly next to Himchan’s head. Daehyun mentally cheered for his boyfriend's idea of disguising his identity more. A small groan sounded from underneath the blanket and Daehyun smiled at the sound. He was trying hard not to laugh.

“Chan?” Jongup repeated and the blanket was lifted slightly and an eye came to view. Daehyun would have sworn the skin was too dark to be Himchan’s.

“Let’s get you out of here,” Jongup said without asking Himchan any questions. The older gave a sound of approval and pushed himself off the surface. He made sure though he was covered with the blanket.

“Let’s go over there,” A gruff voice came from under the blanket and a slim finger pointed towards a path that went behind a group of bushes. Daehyun couldn’t help but notice the finger was uncharacteristically dirty for being Himchan’s. He didn’t question it though. Not yet at least. The three of them walked towards the area Himchan had suggested without a word. Jongup and Daehyun shared worried glances over Himchan’s covered figure between them as they walked. They walked to a bench where they all sat down with Himchan in the middle.

“Where have you been the past days?” Daehyun broke the silence that had settled between them.

“Here,” Came the short answer from the oldest.

“You’ve been staying here for four days?!” Daehyun exclaimed in a mixture of horror and disbelief. The Himchan he had known would never do something like that. The covered figure nodded.

“What did you eat?” Jongup asked, worry evident in his voice.

“Tteokbokki. I bought it at the stand just outside the park,” Himchan answered with a short explanation. Daehyun pitied the older. Something bad must have happened for him to live on the streets. As if on cue, Jongup asked what had happened to him.

“My dad beat me up,” Himchan said. The answer was short and precise but without any indication of how bad it was. The two youngest gasped and zoned their eyes in on the older.

“He what?” Daehyun asked which earned him a glare from Jongup. He did see Himchan probably didn’t want to talk about it now that Jongup silently told him to shut up. Daehyun focused on the younger seeing he tried to gain his attention. Silently his boyfriend seemed to ask him if they could bring Himchan to his place and Daehyun instantly nodded. He was sure his mom wouldn’t mind if it was just for a night.

“Let’s get you to Daehyun’s,” Jongup said and wrapped his arms around their older friend. The bundle of blanket didn’t seem to think it was a good idea as it tensed and the top half shook from side to side. Himchan was shaking his head. He wasn’t going to come.

“But Himchan, it isn’t even that warm,” Daehyun reasoned with the older. “Which reminds me; where did you get that blanket?” He continued before Himchan could respond.

“I traded it for some food.” The gruff voice replied from under the blanket. “Some homeless guy wanted some food and I could get the blanket in return,” He elaborated. Daehyun looked at his boyfriend questioningly. He had no idea what they should do to help their friend if he didn’t want to come on his own. Jongup seemed to have the same idea and looked Daehyun thoughtfully. What or who could get Himchan out of the park? Daehyun widened his eyes and Jongup mimicked him. The older of the couple took out his phone and opened his conversation with Yongguk. He quickly typed in a message to their oldest friend and told them where they were and they had found Himchan. He put the phone down on the bench next to him as he continued to coax Himchan into coming with them without luck. The phone vibrated next to him after only a few minutes had passed. I’m on my way. The reply read. Daehyun showed the screen to his boyfriend who nodded in understanding.

They hadn’t sat there ten minutes after Yongguk had replied before said disheveled boy came into the park. His eyes were darting around and Daehyun waved an arm to gain his attention. Yongguk rushed to them and came to halt in front of Himchan.

“Himchan?” He asked and Himchan looked up immediately at the sound but he didn’t expose anything. The blanket still covered him, but it was obvious Yongguk had his full attention.

“Bbang? What are you doing here?” The bundle asked.

“Daehyun told me where you were. I’ve been trying to find you for four days, Himchan,” Yongguk explained. The slightly younger cowered with Yongguk’s words.

“What happened to you?” Yongguk asked and crouched down in front of his friend. Silence resonated in reply, Daehyun watched as his long time friend reached forward, grabbed the blanket and pulled it off quickly. What he saw made him gasp.

Himchan’s face was bruised and swollen, blue, yellow, and purple hues colored him. It looked like it had been the beating of a lifetime. The boy looked away from their eyes and ripped the blanket back to cover him.

“Himchan,” Yongguk whispered softly. Daehyun watched as the boy, carefully, as if handling a porcelain doll, pulled the covered boy into an embrace.

A hand touched his arm, and Daehyun turned his head to look at Jongup. ‘Let’s go’ he seemed to say in his quiet language.

“We’ll go. Take Himchan with you home,” Jongup then told Yongguk who nodded.

“Thank you for texting me,” he answered his thanks. Daehyun nodded in reply and stood up. Jongup took his hand and the two of them left the other two behind the bushes.

 

The warmth and comfort Yongguk’s arms provided were nice. Despite the awkward feeling of the dirty and smelly blanket around him, Himchan felt better than he had through the past four days.

“Are you hungry?” Yongguk asked him and the youngest shook his head. “Cold?” Another shake. “Tired?” He had to nod to that. He wasn’t even aware Yongguk had started to lead him away.

“Let’s get you to my place then,” Yongguk said and Himchan’s steps stopped. He shook his head frantically.

“Don’t be silly Himchan.” Yongguk said. Himchan couldn’t help but notice the hint of annoyance in his words. That was exactly why he had come here in the first place. He didn’t want to bother anyone. Or annoy anyone. Here he could stay in peace on his own. Yongguk’s arms tightened around Himchan and pulled him towards the exit of the park. Himchan struggled harder the best he could with only his feet. His arms were caught up in the blanket he had sought comfort in.

“Himchan,” Yongguk’s voice was warning yet gentle but Himchan didn’t stop struggling. He managed to struggle his way free of Yongguk’s grasp, or so he thought. The next second he was hoisted up and placed over Yongguk’s shoulder. Yongguk’s grunt told him he wasn’t light to carry so he wondered why Yongguk would even bother carrying him - kidnapping him - to his place.

Yongguk put him down and Himchan looked around to find himself in front of the other’s house. He wondered if he could outrun the other and make it back to the park.

“Now, I can carry you in, or you can walk in on your own,” Yongguk told him and Himchan found that hint of annoyance in his words again.

“I don’t want to bother you,” he muttered.

“Himchan,” Yongguk started in a softer voice and something in it that Himchan couldn’t recognize. “You could never bother me like that. You’re my friend,” The words were filled with something precious, but he still felt uncomfortable with the situation. He was ashamed of his situation. Yongguk opened the door and put his hand on Himchan’s back to lead him in.

“Zelo can’t see me like this,” he muttered to Yongguk.

“I’ll make sure you can sleep in Nam’s room. He won’t mind,” his friend told him and a single weight was lifted off his shoulders. He wondered, however, how Yongnam would take this. He looked like shit and he knew it. Yongnam had never really seen this side of him.

Yongguk led him through the house, never taking the hand away from his back, to Yongnam’s room. With a single knock, they entered. They found him standing on a chair, butt sticking out and arms stretched out in front of him, with a controller in his hands. A short chuckle escaped Himchan. Yongnam never failed in making him smile. The boy hurriedly hopped down from the chair and pressed the pause button when he saw the two of them in the doorway. Yongguk’s hand left Himchan’s back as he closed the door behind them.

“Who’s this?” Yongnam asked as if he wasn’t just caught standing on a chair with his butt sticking out while playing PlayStation.

“It’s me,” Himchan answered, trying to collect himself but failing. He still felt like a black hole.

“Oh, I’m so sorry for not recognizing you, your highness in your cloak,” Yongnam bowed deeply with a smile on his face.

“Nam, can Chan sleep in here?” Yongguk asked.

“Of course,” Yongnam answered with a goofy smile.

“I’ll go get a mattress,” Yongguk said and left the two of them. Himchan just stood there in his blanket, not saying anything.

“Are you okay?” Yongnam asked him with a concerned look on his face. He didn’t know what to answer. On one side, he wanted to answer no, on the other he wished he could put on his facade and joke his way around the question. So in the end, he stayed quiet. Yongnam opened his mouth to say something but Yongguk came back at that moment, with a mattress under his arm. The twins got to clearing a space for the mattress and soon they all stood quietly looking at each other.

“I’ll go check on Zelo, go to sleep if you’re tired,” Yongguk told Himchan with a hand on his shoulder, that told him everything was going to be okay. He then left, leaving Himchan with Yongnam in the latter’s room.

“Himchan, are you okay?” Yongnam asked once again. Himchan stayed quiet once again. “Why don’t you take the blanket off?” Himchan shook his head. No. “Himchan,” Yongnam muttered with concern laced through every syllable.

The other walked over to him and with gentle hands pulled the blanket away. Yongnam’s eyes widened in horror and he simply stared. Himchan looked down. He felt uncomfortable, ugly, and ashamed.

“Who did this to you?” Yongnam asked quietly.

“No one,” Himchan answered shortly. He couldn’t tell the other the truth.

“Himchan,” the other started.

“No one,” he repeated stubbornly. Silence resonated in between the two of them for a couple of seconds. A gentle hand lifted his chin, so he looked Yongnam straight in the eye.

“You’re still beautiful, so no need to hide,” he said with a small smile on his lips. Himchan didn’t know what to say. With careful and slow movements, he took the blanket completely off him. Himchan in all his dirt was revealed. He had never felt so ashamed, but at the same time, Yongnam seemed to not care.

“Now, would ever beautiful Himchan like to sleep, or take a shower?” the other asked.

“Sleep,” Himchan answered hesitantly, quietly asking if it was ok.

“Sleep it is. The bed is this way, your highness,” Yongnam gestured towards his bed and Himchan smiled. “Now that is breathtaking.”

“What?” he asked confused at the other’s statement.  
“Your smile breaks all boundaries of beauty,” the other smiled softly. Maybe going to Yongnam’s house wasn’t such a bad idea.


	37. Chapter Thirty Seven

“Zelo-ah?” Yongguk’s voice sounded from the hallway. He looked up from his phone and towards the door. “Are you in here?” A few knocks sounded on the wooden surface.  
“Yeah, Hyung,” He said and put down his phone. He stood up just as the door opened and his older friend entered. Yongguk’s characteristic gummy smile came into view, though Zelo couldn’t help but notice how it wasn’t as wide as usual. He had an idea about what was coming.  
“Zelo-ah,” Yongguk started and sat down on the bed. “It has been almost a week, my mom says we can’t have you stay much longer,” Yongguk told him. The younger had thought Yongguk was going to tell him that.  
“I understand,” he said and nodded slowly. He really didn’t want to go back to his parent’s place, but he had nowhere else to go.  
“Do you need help with packing?” Yongguk offered after some time of awkward silence. Zelo knew none of them wanted this to happen, but they didn’t have any choice.

“No thanks, I’m fine. I don’t have that much stuff anyway,” Zelo reasoned and got a nod in return from the older.

“I really wish you could…”

“It’s fine, Hyung. I get it,” Zelo cut off the older. Yongguk looked at him and nodded slowly.

“I’ll leave you to packing then.” He said and stood up, dusting off his pants. With one last sad smile at Zelo, he left the room and closed the door behind him.

Zelo pursed his lips and scanned the room for the few belongings he had managed to get here. Everything he could find, he put into a duffel bag and zipped it up. He walked out of the room and closed the door behind him. He didn’t really enjoy the situation. He was moving back in with his parents. But there was nothing to do.

“I’ll drive you home,” Yongguk offered when he reached the living room. Zelo nodded.  
The two of them walked outside, Yongguk taking the keys from the small table just inside the door.

They drove off with a pregnant silence between them. Zelo really dreaded going home. He knew it was only about time before he would be hit again.

When they arrived, Yongguk turned off the engine and the two sat in silence.

“Zelo, I-” Yongguk began but the boy in question held up a hand to silence him.

“I know,” he said and looked out the window at the building. They sat in silence for a couple more minutes before Zelo took a deep breath and opened the door. He bent down enough to get Yongguk into view again.

“Thank you for letting me stay with you, Hyung,” Zelo said and Yongguk only nodded in response. The youngest closed the door, opened the door to the back seat and grabbed his bag. “I’ll see you around,” Zelo said and closed the door before he could hear the older’s response. He faced the building for several long seconds gathering up his courage to go inside and face his mom and dad.

With heavy steps and dread paralyzing half of his body, Zelo dragged himself to the building he was calling home. He stood in front of the door to his apartment for a long time just looking. He unzipped a part of his bag and took out a six-pack. That would put his dad off for the time being. He turned the doorknob and slowly pushed the door open. If he didn’t make a sound, he could possibly get to his room safely.

Just as the door was open enough for Zelo to slip through he stepped inside. He pushed his bag behind his back as he peeked around the corner into the living room. His dad was fast asleep on the couch, obviously drunk off his ass if the bottles on the table were anything to go from. He closed the door carefully and tiptoed through the hall and peeked into the kitchen. His mom was working on dinner and the sound of his steps was drowned in the sizzling from the pot. He continued through the hallway and walked into his room. He released a breath he wasn’t aware he was holding and smiled slightly. He was safe. At least for the day. But only if he kept quiet. He would save the beers for the day his dad finds him.

 

Zelo opened his eyes and stretched the kinks out of his limbs before he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. He opened his eyes and looked up at the familiar ceiling of his own room with his parents. He rolled over and buried himself in the slightly too thin duvet and snuggled into the warmth he could get from it. It hadn’t been too bad to come home. His father hadn’t hit him in all the time he had been home and his mom seemed to be in a better mood than ever. There hadn’t been any yelling or screaming either.

He pushed the duvet off his body and inhaled deeply. The smell of warm bread reached his nostrils and he was reminded of the fact he was actually hungry. He stood up and wore a pair of sweatpants along with a t-shirt before he left for the kitchen.

“Good morning, umma,” He greeted her as he entered trying to keep the positive atmosphere up. She turned around and smiled at him and he stole her toast from her plate.

“Thanks,” He grinned and sat down by the table, eating it silently. It was all good to be at home. He heard the front door open and heavy steps coming inside. Zelo’s eyes widened and his mom’s smile faded.

“Bitch! Where is my fucking beer?!” His dad hadn’t been out drinking for two weeks. Of course, he had been drinking at home, but not enough to be aggressive. The man came staggering into view and Zelo rose to his feet to protect his mom from his dad.

“Out of the way, you fucking piece of shit!” His dad spat at him as he walked closer. Zelo refused by shaking his head earning him a slap on his cheek. He hadn’t even had time to prepare for it. He stopped breathing as the stinging sensation spread over his cheek and heat accompanied the feeling under his palm. Releasing his breath shakily Zelo gritted his teeth and charged at his dad. Only his dad was stronger than him. It didn’t take him long before Zelo was on his back on the floor with his dad straddling his waist. Fists collided with his face repeatedly. When no space of his face wasn’t swelling or bleeding the hits moved down his chest. Each hit was accompanied by screams from his mom as he did his best to protect himself from damage. When he was unable to fight back much longer, his dad curled his fingers in the front of Zelo’s shirt. He lifted him up only to let him drop back down onto the floor with nothing to take the fall but the back of his skull.

Only when his mom gave his dad a violent push did he stand a chance. Panting and out of his own mind, Zelo tackled his dad to the floor and landed several fists on his chest, but it was nothing compared to what he had done to him. They struggled, fought and brawled around on the floor. Fists were flying and legs kicking and only a knee well-aimed at his dad’s groin made Zelo able to escape the mess on the kitchen floor and he bolted towards his room.

 

Himchan was sitting in Yongguk’s room using his friend’s laptop while Yongguk was helping his mom with cooking. Himchan knew from his time of staying with the Bangs that Yongguk did in fact not cook. Yongguk was lucky if he was allowed to help set the table he had concluded. He scrolled down the screen of the website and scanned the content. He had been thinking about what Yongguk had suggested a while ago. He had suggested he moved out on his own and possibly brought Zelo with him. Now he had taken the first step and was checking out possible places to live and the costs. It was good to see it wasn’t as expensive as he had thought it would be. A quick estimate of expenses compared with his income showed he that he could afford it without much trouble. Curiously, he was looking further into apartments closer by the school and looking for which state they were in. It didn’t take him long before he had found three apartments he considered within his taste of state, price and location. One was a large room with a small kitchen and a separate bathroom. The two others had two rooms, kitchen, and bathroom separate and were slightly larger than just a room. A fleeting thought of Zelo and him sharing an apartment like that struck him and Himchan found himself keen on the idea. Zelo would be safe from his parents and he himself didn’t have to tend to his parents’ needs anymore. It was a win-win situation. But he wasn’t sure. What if Zelo didn’t want to live with him? What if they were to fight and one would have to leave? Could he just abandon his parents like that? Would he even be mature enough to take care of Zelo like that? He was still just a kid of mind after all. Shrugging off the thoughts he kept searching if he had missed any apartments that would be good to live in. He would have to ask Zelo if he wants to move in with him next time they see each other in school. After all, it had seemed to have changed for the positive with the Choi's.

Himchan’s phone set off next to him, startling Himchan out of his thoughts. He picked up the device and saw Zelo’s number flashing over the screen. He dragged his thumb across the name and answered the call.

“Zelo,” He greeted happily as he leaned back in his chair. He jolted forward just as quickly eyes wide in alert. He was answered with a distinct sound of glass breaking and Zelo’s sob close to the speaker. He didn’t need to hear more. Keeping his phone pressed to his ear he left the room as quickly as he could and ran downstairs.

“Yongguk! Drive me to Zelo’s. Now!” he ordered his best friend and wore his jacket and shoes as quickly as he could. He heard Yongguk’s steps behind him and he was sure Yongguk knew what was happening. Whatever doubts Himchan had had earlier, they were gone now. He and Zelo were moving out.

 

“Youngjae-ah,” A voice pulled Youngjae out of his world of homework he needed finished by the end of the weekend. He let a heavy sigh leave his lips before he closed his books and stood up. He pushed his phone into the pocket of his jeans as he opened his door.

“Victoria,” He greeted her monotonously not even looking at her properly. “What do you want?” He asked as he kept his hand on the door. It was meant as an obvious hint that she wasn’t allowed in his room, but Victoria knew no etiquette. She grabbed his wrist with her cold hands, making Youngjae shiver slightly in discomfort and brought him into his own room. In a swift movement, she had closed the door behind them and Youngjae had yet to realize what was going on. She brought the two of them to the couch and she sat down, pulling him down to sit next to her. Youngjae could feel the heat from her naked legs and he moved away from her. It was making him feel very uncomfortable. His new position didn’t make his situation any better. Her legs weren’t naked. She was wearing a dress that barely covered her ass and see-through over-knee stockings with a light pattern woven into the thin fabric with gold thread.

“Youngjae,” The name was sinfully spoken, voice filled with unspoken promises of what was to come. Youngjae would be lying if he said he found it endearing - he found it disgusting and really _really_ slutty of Victoria. He zeroed his eyes in on her face but failed to miss her very visible cleavage as she pulled her hair behind her shoulders. He suppressed the urge to roll his eyes and throw a shirt and a pair of pants at her.

“You look really good today,” She practically purred as she scooted closer to place a slim hand on his thigh, fingertips tracing small circular patterns on the fabric of his jeans. Youngjae curled his fingers around Victoria’s hand and pushed her away as he scooted away from her himself.

“Thank...you,” Youngjae replied and avoided eye contact with her again.

“I really really like y…” Youngjae thanked his phone for ringing at that exact moment. He wouldn’t have known how to deal with a fake confession. He didn’t believe one bit of what she was saying. He stood up and pulled his phone out of his pocket. An uneasy feeling settled in his stomach when he saw Himchan’s number light up on the screen. He left the room to his bedroom and ran his thumb over the screen.  
“Himchan?” He answered.

“Youngjae? Thank God. We just picked up Zelo. Are you free tomorrow? I know you study Sundays but we need some help. We need Zelo away from his parents. I got the keys for an apartment today. Bbang helped me move some beds and the essentials today. But tomorrow we need to move the rest and get whatever Zelo has at his parents’,” Himchan rambled into the speaker and Youngjae wondered if he even managed to breathe. He quickly shook the thought off as his mind zoned back to the fact Zelo was moving in with Himchan.  
“Where?” He asked and Himchan told him the address. Youngjae didn’t even tell Victoria goodbye, nor told his parents where he was going. He needed to check on Zelo with his own eyes.


	38. Chapter Thirty Eight

“Let me help you with that, my lord,” Yongnam offered with a courteous bow and held his hands out towards Himchan. Zelo smiled at the two who started discussing happily whether or not Himchan should carry his own things or not and went inside the building. He had his own box of stuff in his hands that he climbed up the stairs with. Their new apartment was on the second floor. Their new apartment. He couldn’t believe it somehow. Himchan was moving in with him. With him of all people. Not to mention Yongguk and Yongnam were helping them move in.

It made him feel… glad. He still had a small smile on his face when he entered their apartment and found Yongguk. The older was muttering something to himself as he stuffed eating utensils in the drawers. He stopped and turned around when he heard him.

“It’s nice to see you smile,” Yongguk told him, which only made Zelo smile wider. He couldn’t believe his luck. This was like a dream and he was scared he would wake up at any moment and be back with his parents. But for now, he just felt giddy that this was going to be his new home.

“What were you muttering? Were you working on a new rap?” Zelo asked as he went into the room on the right from the living room/kitchen.

“Yeah,” the other answered a bit hesitantly as he placed the box in the corner.

“May I hear?” he asked as he entered the kitchen/living room again. He normally wouldn’t be so outgoing but the whole situation left him almost giddy.

“Maybe later when I’ve polished it up a bit. It’s just a stream of words that occasionally rhyme right now,” Yongguk answered, smiling. At that moment, Himchan walked through the door with Yongnam right behind him.

“I’m not a weakling,” Himchan laughed.

“No, you’re anything but. However, this is a servant's work,” Yongnam argued back. “And it would be a privilege to work for one as beautiful inside out as yourself.” Himchan laughed heartily at that and Zelo couldn’t help but join in.

“Zelo, have you chosen a room?” Himchan asked him in that soft voice that he only used for him, instead of replying to Yongnam. Zelo nodded and pointed at the room. He couldn’t help but feel he’d gained a parent when Himchan used that voice. A real, caring parent.

Himchan stepped into the other room with his stuff while Yongnam brought the box he was carrying over to the window in the kitchen/living room.

“Do you have all the stuff for the table up now?” Himchan asked as he came back.

“Yes, your highness,” Yongnam answered with a bow.

“Good, then you can start assembling it,” Himchan nodded as Yongnam saluted. Zelo laughed a little. Yongnam was funny. “Bbang, could you help me with the mattresses for the beds?” his new roommate continued.

“Of course,” Yongguk answered immediately and the two left after Yongguk had left a comment to his brother about doing some real lifting, to which Yongnam childishly stuck his tongue out at.

“Tell me Zelo, are you any good at this? Because I have never successfully assembled anything in my life besides my guitar.” Yongnam asked with a twinkle in his eyes. Zelo laughed and felt that certain almost giddiness again.

 

“Young Master,” the butler’s voice sounded from the doorway. Youngjae looked up from his math book and twisted to look at the said man. “Master wants to see you; immediately,” the butler continued with a perfected polite tone.

“But, I’m studying,” Youngjae pointed out and Mr. Oh offered him an apologetic smile.

“He was quite insistent, Young Master,” he told and Youngjae sighed before closing his book. “He is in his office,” Youngjae was informed and he left his room to head towards the room that was usually off limits. Being called to the said room often meant business and Youngjae was sure that today was no different. A nagging feeling told him this was about leaving Victoria to herself the day before but Youngjae didn’t regret anything. Zelo was far more important than Victoria’s flirting. He was a close friend and Zelo’s parents were assholes. Stopping in front of the heavy wooden door and took a deep breath before he rapped his knuckles against it. A gruff ‘come in’ sounded from the other side and Youngjae stepped inside.

“Ah, Youngjae,” his father greeted him. Youngjae recognized the smile on his father’s face. It meant business. Also, it meant that he wasn’t happy with Youngjae. “Close the door and sit down,” silently Youngjae sat down after he had clicked the door shut behind him. He sat down in the slightly lower and less prestigious chair as his father’s opposite the man himself.

“Youngjae, your actions lately have been…” His father licked the front of his teeth as if he was tasting which word to use against him. “...disgraceful,” it wasn’t the word Youngjae had expected but covered the meaning of the message clear enough too.

“I’m sorry?” Youngjae said, pretending not to quite catch what his father wanted to say.

“You left Victoria yesterday. Without as much as saying your goodbyes or showing her the door. You were rude towards young Ms. Song. Mr. Song called me today. Business relations with the Song family has been ruined because of your behavior,” his father said and Youngjae listened carefully.

“And how does this affect the company?” He asked trying to keep the smugness out of his voice. He knew he had a contract, signed by his parents, that unless the company’s stocks lowered, he was free to do as he pleased.

“Important business plans have been canceled because of your careless behavior,” his father explained and Youngjae nodded in understanding.

“No stocks have fallen, so according to paragraph...” Youngjae stood from his seat and went to the folder where he knew his dad kept the contracts of less value and produced the one he had had them sign a while back. “...here, no harm is done. The stocks won’t fall because of it,” Youngjae pointed out. His father read the appointed paragraph. His eyes widened slightly as he got the maze of words sorted out correctly and sent Youngjae a disapproving glare over the edge of the paper. Youngjae could almost hear the gears turning in his father’s head as he considered all possible approaches to make Youngjae see sense.

“It will hurt the business. We won’t be able to combine the two companies and stand stronger,” his father said, his voice strictly speaking business. Youngjae knew he would get to hear for the contract later.

“It won’t. They were never to combine. And what would never have come, cannot hurt the business now,” Youngjae pointed out. “And it still hasn’t. Your business can still survive without the Songs. No stocks will fall if you don’t join with the Songs,” Youngjae continued. “So bottom line, no harm done,” with the last words, Youngjae stood up and left his dad to reread the contract he had signed once more.

 

Yongguk ran. He ran as fast as he could away from them. He just needed to get away.

Himchan came over for dinner. It was just Himchan, Yongnam and himself.

_“Your highness,” Yongnam had started as soon as he saw Himchan and grabbed his hand. “What a pleasure! It’s an honor that you bestow us the gift of your presence,” he elegantly pressed his lips against Himchan’s hand. Yongguk saw how his friend’s cheeks reddened slightly, how he smiled that beautiful smile at his brother’s actions. It hurt._

_“You’re gross, Nam,” he told his brother instead, pulling a grimace._

_“Shush Bbang, you can’t blame the boy for appreciating my perfection,” Himchan had waved him off with a smile while still looking at Yongnam._

_He could feel his legs getting tired, but he pushed them on. He couldn’t slow down now._

_Yongguk was eating quietly. Every now and then he would come with an input, but he couldn’t keep up. His brother and Himchan were constantly flirting shamelessly. He could feel his insides burning with jealousy. In reality, he wanted to do the same, but he didn’t have the quick witty remarks his brother had up his sleeve at all times._

_“Your grace illuminates the world,” Yongnam complimented Himchan with a twinkle in his eye._

_“Your eyes sparkle with my endless perfection,” Himchan replied, with the same twinkle in his eyes. Yongguk felt like the third wheel. He felt like he wasn’t noticed in between the two others flirting. It hurt._

Keep running. Just keep running. Ignore the pain, keep running.

_They were now sitting in the living room. All three of them on one couch. Despite Yongguk’s efforts, Himchan was seated in the middle. He had hoped he could squeeze himself in between his brother and Himchan. They were going to watch a movie._

_“Which movie would the epitome of beauty like to watch?” Yongnam asked, his eyes locked with Himchan’s, the latter blushing._

_“A movie that pleases my dear servant, as he has proved himself capable and very important," he replied with such a sweet smile that Yongguk wished was for him._

_"Your highness, you flatter me beyond my abilities," Yongnam had answered while going down on one knee in front of the other and grabbed his hand dramatically. This was followed by a loud laugh and loving blush._

_He reached a playground and slowed down to a stop. Walking over to the swings, he sat down and buried his face in his hands._

_“Hey Guk, could you get the ice cream?” Yongnam asked distractedly, not looking away from the tv screen._

_“Get it yourself, you lazy ass,” Yongguk told his twin. He wanted the other gone. Jealousy burned in his veins. It wasn’t nice and he was trying not to, but that’s what was hard. Himchan and his brother were playing with each other's hands. Not to mention Yongnam was muttering compliments to Himchan every time he could get away with it. And Himchan would smile or chuckle and blush, while Yongguk was left with a deep aching in his heart._

_“Be nice to your brother, Bbang,” Himchan told him with a smile and looked at him quickly, before turning back to the screen. The second it lasted, his heart soared, before plunging down again._

_“But he is a lazy ass. Both lazy and an ass,” Yongguk argued._

_“Opposed to selfish and disrespectful of one’s elders, it’s an improvement,” Yongnam countered with a grin._

_“Shut it, Nam, you’re still not my elder, no matter how much you wish it,” he shot back. Himchan laughed._

_“Bbang, please go get the ice cream, I’ll lecture Nam in honorifics,” Himchan asked him and this time Yongguk couldn’t say no. So reluctantly he got up and went to the kitchen. He tried to keep the jealousy at bay, smothering it, while he looked around the freezer shelves for the ice cream._

_Finally, he found it after his fingers turned cold, and he hurriedly took it out and closed the freezer. Finding three spoons, he turned to go back into the living room._

He fought the water welling up in his eyes, but a lone tear escaped.

_He froze when he entered the room, emotions running through him faster than the wind. Anger, hurt, denial, jealousy, hurt, sadness and a heart breaking loudly._

_Yongnam and Himchan were kissing._


	39. Chapter Thirty Nine

Yongguk sat on the swing, mindlessly letting it swing back and forth. The kiss was on replay in his head. He had a lump in his throat and tears at the edge of his eyes, that he refused to let fall. Rubbing his eyes once again, he tried to force the constant picture of his brother and Himchan kissing out of his mind. It didn’t work. It was all he could think about.

He could feel his gut twisting in jealousy and betrayal. Though he couldn’t understand where the betrayal came from, he could still feel it. Because his brother, his twin, was the one to kiss Himchan while he himself stood on the sidelines and felt the pain. He knew he couldn’t blame Yongnam for acting on his crush when he didn’t know Yongguk was in love with the same boy. Yet the betrayal didn’t disappear and left a bitter taste in his mouth.

This was all wrong. In hindsight, he should have seen it coming and prepared for it. Yongnam and Himchan did, after all, flirt with each other shamelessly. But a part of Yongguk had simply hoped it was just for fun and that there was nothing serious about it. He had clung to that hope.

Now, however, he had to face reality, cruel as it was. It hurt. It physically hurt in his chest. Once again he rubbed his eyes, trying to get the tears that formed there to go away. It seemed to be a hopeless mission. As hopeless as Himchan being in love with him. But that didn’t mean he didn’t try. Where he failed in one case he would fight to win in the other. He could fight and win against his body, whereas he couldn’t do that against his brother.

Fuck, this was all messed up. Why did it have to be his brother? His twin. The person who had been by his side since always. Had it been anyone else, he could have been mad or kept trying to fight for Himchan. He couldn’t do that against his brother. A tear escaped his eye and rolled down his cheek.

“Shit,” he muttered to himself and wiped it away. This was all shit. A giant load of shit dumped on him from heavens. It couldn’t get much worse than this.

“Yongguk!” a familiar voice called in the distance. Well fuck. It could get worse.

“Yongguk!” another, just as familiar, voice called. And it got even worse.

“Yongguk!” the first voice called again, closer this time. He sighed heavily. Okay. He would pretend that nothing happened. That his heart didn’t get torn apart, that he was still okay. Slapping his face with his hands a couple of times, he breathed out heavily.

“Yongguk!” the second voice called. He could do this. He could.

“I’m here!” he yelled back, his voice cracking in the middle. Oh shit, that didn’t go according to plan. Oh well, he’d just have to come up with some excuse.

“Yongguk!” the first voice called in relief and Yongguk saw a familiar figure running towards him. A few seconds later, Himchan enveloped in his arms shortly, before pulling back.

“Bbang! We were really worried. Suddenly you were gone!” Himchan reprimanded. Yongnam caught up with them and next thing, Yongguk was punched on the arm.

“Guk! What the hell man? Are you okay?” his brother asked.

“Yeah, yeah I’m fine, I just needed some fresh air,” he lied partly. He wasn’t fine, but he did need fresh air after witnessing the two of them snogging. Yongnam punched him again, before pulling him into a hug.

“You airhead,” his brother laughed breathily and pulled back from the hug. “Why didn’t you say anything? We were worried,”

“I’m sorry,” Yongguk apologized heartfeltly. What they thought he was apologizing for was entirely different from what he really was. How could he ever feel betrayed by his brother who cared for him so? His brother who would probably have backed up if he knew anything.

A conclusion came to mind. He wouldn’t tell them. He would let them have their happiness. In the meanwhile, he would suffer alone. He could do that. Couldn’t he?

  
  


Youngjae felt Zelo’s eyes on his back as he stretched himself in a - according to Zelo - dangerous position from the lowest shelf in his bookshelf to reach for the upper shelf. The whole idea was stupid but he had insisted Zelo shouldn’t overwork himself when his back clearly hurt and volunteered to unpack his things. He too had insisted that everything that was to be placed above shoulder height or below knee height was his job as well. Not to mention it wasn’t allowed to be too heavy. Whenever Zelo made the slightest sound of discomfort, Youngjae was by his side gushing over him.

“Why can’t you just let me put it up? You’re going to fall, break a leg, and split your head open. I don’t even need to stand on my toes,” Zelo argued and reached up only for Youngjae to try and swat him away, almost causing him to fall. Only Zelo’s hand on his back kept him in place when Youngjae squeaked in fright. He would, at any given time, deny the squeak. If anything it was manly.

“T-thanks,” Youngjae said and Zelo quickly retreated his hand from his back. The burning sensation it had left behind transferred to his cheeks and left his cheeks a burning hue of red.

“You’re welcome. Now let me take it place it up there,” Zelo requested behind him and reached out for the object of Youngjae’s struggles. The older only shook his head and stretched himself a little longer and let out a small cheer in success when it slid into it’s place on the shelf.

“See, I could do it,” he pointed out and stepped down from his dangerous mission and grinned at Zelo in accomplishment. In return, he earned himself an eye-roll but a relieved smile from the taller of the two.

Youngjae turned around and bent over the cardboard box and took out a couple of things he could put away. When he wanted to stand back up, the back of head collided with Zelo’s and they both cursed loudly. Standing on either side of the box they looked at each other, both idly searching for any sign of the other being too hurt. Soon after their eyes met and an invisible force kept them unable to look away. They stood there for a long while, the dull throbbing at the back of Youngjae’s had long gone but he still made no move to break eye-contact. A faint buzzing from a phone on the desk distracted them and they broke eye-contact. A quick glance at the device that remained black they concluded it was an email. Most likely spam too.

“I’ll...I’ll put these ones up,” Youngjae said finally and turned around and placed away the things he had found.

Behind him, a small huff sounded and the older spun around fast enough to almost snap his neck.

“Let me take that,” He said and took a stack of books from the taller and placed it on the shelf in alphabetical order.

“You don’t have to do that Jae Hyung,” Zelo said from behind and Youngjae shrugged.

“But I want to," he retorted and moved a book to the shelf below to make room for the one he was holding.

“Why?” Came the simple question from Zelo but Youngjae found it so much harder to answer. Why exactly?

“Because you’re you,” He answered hesitantly. The words were true enough, but they seemed slightly...daring. A soft spluttering sound emerged from behind him and he turned around, worry etched to his face.

“Are you alright? Zelo, are you hurt anywhere? Are you choking? Did you swallow an insect?” The suggestions that could possibly be wrong with the younger, rolled off the older’s tongue as he scanned over Zelo to make sure he wasn’t hurt.

“I-I’m fine. Just...just surprised,” Zelo replied and hit his chest lightly, making Youngjae furrow his brows in worry over the boy hurting himself.

“What’s so special about me?” Zelo finally asked and bit his lip slightly. Youngjae figured Zelo was nervous about the answer. He had never been appreciated before. His self-esteem and self-worth were practically hitting the negative scales not too long ago. The answer was simple:

“I like y...t-the way you are. You’re nice and sweet. You’re probably the nicest person I’ve met,” Youngjae managed to stutter out despite just being run over by a train of realization. He liked Zelo. He liked him _like that_. Red flared to his cheeks, his palms turned sweaty and his stomach and chest tightened around butterflies making Youngjae feel sick from the overwhelming realization. His dad was going to kill him if he ever found out.

  
  


Zelo closed the door behind Youngjae when he had decided to leave. Youngjae had been there almost the entire day but once the last box had almost been unpacked, he had suddenly been in a rush to leave. Zelo didn’t really quite understand it. Youngjae had acted weird most of the day. He had made sure to tell him how nice and amazing he was. How good looking he was and even how incredibly brave he had been while living with his parents. It left Zelo with a fluttering feeling in his stomach. That was why he was standing right inside in the hallway with his fingers scratching at his scalp confused. He scrunched up his face as he tried to figure out why Youngjae had acted the way he had but came up cluelessly. He knew he would have to ask Himchan about that once he returned from his day at the Bangs’ if he was to make any hope of figuring it out.

The tall boy left the entry and placed himself on the couch in the living room. It felt weird to be welcomed in any room where he lived. He had always sought refuge in his own when he lived at home. Now he actually felt welcome anywhere. A smile graced his features as he looked around the room, not able to stop the smile from widening into a face-splitting grin. He reached into his pocket and took out his very own key to his very own apartment he shared with his very own best friend. The whole situation seemed too much to be reality and Zelo found himself pinching the inside of his own arm only to yelp a bit and rub the sore spot. He wasn’t dreaming.

Through his struggles to fathom how thoroughly blessed he had been since this whole school project started, he didn’t even hear the door open. It wasn’t until the older’s voice sounded behind him he turned around, smiling so wide it hurt his cheeks.

“Hi, Hyung. Did you have fun with Hyungs?” He asked as he rested his chin on the backrest of the couch. Himchan hummed noncommittally as he shrugged off his jacket, toed off his shoes and pushed them against the wall as he hung up the jacket.

“It was alright,” he replied and Zelo could have sworn he saw a blush on Himchan’s cheeks.

“Why only alright?” He wondered. If it made Himchan blush it should be a lot more than just alright.

“Bbang decided to run away,” Himchan answered and Zelo’s brows raised towards his hairline.

“Run away?” He parrotted and Himchan nodded before swung his legs over the backrest of the couch and slid into the seat next to Zelo.

“We had to go out and find him. We were to watch a movie when I asked him to get some ice cream and suddenly he was gone,” Himchan said and looked just about as confused as Zelo felt himself.

“Why?” Zelo wanted to know. He was worried about his friend too after all.

“I don’t know,” Himchan said and shrugged. “He just said he needed some fresh air. But enough about that; how was your day with Youngjae?” Himchan asked and looked at him expectantly.

“It was fun, though also kind of weird,” Zelo admitted and Himchan kept looking at him expectantly. When he didn’t continue Himchan rolled his hand in front of him and muttered a ‘go on’ to him.

“He was really...protective of me,” He said choosing his words carefully. “He unpacked pretty much everything and took the things out of my hands,” Himchan hummed thoughtfully and motioned for Zelo to continue again.

“He also kept saying how nice, sweet and brave I am. It gave me this weird feeling in my stomach,” he explained and Himchan’s eyes widened slightly and Zelo expected some sort of reaction or explanation from him but nothing came. “After the feeling started, Youngjae didn’t stay for long. He had to leave before the last box was empty and I didn’t even get to thank him,” Zelo continued and Himchan sported a thoughtful expression this time.

“I’m confused, Umma,” Zelo said unaware of what he had called his friend, only he noticed a wide and fond smile spread on Himchan’s face and he got a one-armed side-hug from the older.

“Don’t worry, Zelo. It’s perfectly normal. This just happens to some people. You’re perfectly fine and so is Youngjae. I think he is just thinking,” he said and ruffled Zelo’s hair reassuringly.

“Are you sure?” He asked worriedly and nibbled at his lower lip.

“Perfectly sure,” Himchan promised him. “Don’t you have homework to do?” he asked the younger who nodded and pushed himself out of Himchan’s embrace.  
“I’ll be in my room,” he said and disappeared to start doing his homework for the upcoming week.


	40. Chapter Forty

Everything was going well. Himchan and Yongguk were at the studio, doing what they did best; composing music. It was going well. Himchan was smiling and laughing and Yongguk smiled and laughed along. There was a joke here and there, an insult as well and generally the older was happy and smiling. Yongnam wasn’t there to flirt with or kiss the younger. Which was great.

But then Yongguk remembered that Yongnam kissed Himchan. And he could feel his laugh die out, his smile disappearing and a dark cloud looming above him. He tried to keep smiling and laughing, he really did, but it didn’t really work. It was as if everything became empty and cold. So far, Himchan hadn’t noticed. Or at least he hadn’t commented on it. Which was good, since Yongguk didn’t know how to answer.

“Okay, so I think if we use a simple beat for the drum, it would sound great,” Himchan suggested. Yongguk thought about it and nodded slowly.

“What did you have in mind?” he asked.

“A classic, though timed a bit differently,” the other replied with a smile. Yongguk raised an eyebrow, asking him what he meant. Himchan stomped his foot to the floor once, clapped, stomped twice and clapped once again.

“We will rock you?” Yongguk asked, doubt in his voice. “Using the drums or stomping and clapping like the original?”

“The drums, but making the clap sound more like a clap. So maybe the bass drum and a clap. And we should change it up every once in a while, variations and such,” Himchan explained. Yongguk imagined it in his head, together with the stuff they had already done. It might work.

“Let’s try it,” he nodded and the two of them got to work. In between their talk of the music, Himchan told him about living with Zelo. He didn’t mention kissing Yongnam at all, though. It kind of hurt Yongguk that the other didn’t tell him. But it might be because he thought it was awkward and he respected that. Basically, he just wished the two had never kissed.

“Yongguk!” fingers snapped in front of him and he realized he had zoned out.

“Sorry, what?” he apologized.

“I asked, how are you? You seem to get distant every now and then. Not to mention it looks like the world’s burden is on your shoulders,” Himchan asked softly.

“I’m fine,” Yongguk waved the other off and reached over to start what they had made so far, but Himchan took his hand.

“No seriously. Something is wrong,” he said with worry in his eyes and Yongguk’s heart clenched in aching. Why? Why was it his brother and not him? Just why?

“It’s nothing serious,” he assured the other.

“You sure?” Himchan asked, clearly doubting what he said. Yongguk nodded. “Okay, but just know that I’m here if you need to talk or anything. Even if it’s in the middle of the night,”

Yongguk smiled at the words, at the same time a knife was plunged into his heart. Why? Why couldn’t it be him?

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he told his friend with a fond smile and a nod. Himchan looked at him with a worried expression for a second more, before switching back to music.

They worked like nothing was wrong until the janitor of the school came by to say he was locking up now. Saving everything on the computer and on a USB stick just in case, they went out. For a moment Himchan was in front of him, walking down the hallway. Yongguk’s heart screamed under the torture. Why? Why? Why? Just why?

Why his brother? Why not him? Why didn’t Himchan tell him? Why did everything hurt so much? When would it stop? And then Himchan turned around and cast a brilliant smile at him. Yongguk smiled back, genuinely happy for the smile, even though his heart hurt. How could one person make you so happy, yet so sad because they were with someone else?

Feeling like this shouldn’t be possible. For the greater good of the people, feeling like this shouldn’t be possible. Yet he felt every shining moment of happiness and every stab in his heart.

 

Jongup sat at the lunch table in the middle of the cafeteria. Everyone was smiling but the dancer could easily tell they weren’t the most genuine ones. On his right, Daehyun sat munching away on some food, Yongguk next to him, Himchan, Yongnam, Zelo, and Youngjae. He took a bite of his own lunch as he silently observed the six other people at the table. It was almost painful to watch. Well, Youngjae and Zelo were just being disgustingly cute as they shied away from each other but at the same time tried to sit closer. He couldn’t help but smile at that. The trio centering Himchan was a whole other story. Yongguk seemed really tense. It was like he was in physical pain. Himchan wasn’t as tense, but obviously worried. He kept sending Yongguk worried glances but didn’t say anything. Only an occasional sigh leaving his lips proved how concerned he was feeling. Youngnam, on the other hand, didn’t seem to feel the distress the same way as the other two. But Yongguk’s - whatever it was - was aimed at his twin.

Jongup took a bite and turned his attention back to his lunch and took a bite out of his fried rice. Munching on the food he turned his attention to Youngjae and Zelo. It made him smile just how awkward they were. Zelo would always steal glances at the older and the older would keep his eyes glued on his lunch, unaware of the attention the youngest was giving him. The dancer reached to his right and placed his hand on Daehyun’s thigh as subtly as he could manage. It was not like any of the others would notice anyways as they were so caught up in their own worlds. Jongup looked down and continued eating his lunch before Daehyun would move on from his own lunch and reach for his too. He was stroking his thigh gently with his right and compromised to eating with his left when a loud shriek was heard from around the table. Jongup snapped his head up to look at the source of commotion and chuckled seeing Daehyun was sitting with a sandwich in either of his hands. One he recognized as Youngjae’s and the other as Yongguk’s. A fond smile spread on his lips as he shook his head lightly as he observed Yongguk and Youngjae both flailing to get their lunch back. Jongup soon took pity on them and released his thigh in order to grab a hold of his shirt instead and pulled him into a kiss.

Several gasps sounded around them but Jongup didn’t care. And seeing how Daehyun’s lips moved along with his in the gentle lip-lock, he didn’t either. Two calm mumbles of ‘thank you’ reached Jongup’s ears and he smiled into the kiss. Yongguk and Youngjae had successfully conquered their sandwiches back. When they broke apart, subtle coughs could be heard but Jongup was too busy beaming at his successful distraction of his boyfriend.

“Himchan we should do it like that too.” Yongnam’s voice cut through the comfortable silence and earned the oldest twin an obviously hurt glare from the younger one. It didn’t take a genius to realize what was going on between the three. Yongguk was jealous and Yongnam and Himchan appeared to be dating.

Yongguk squeezed his sandwich so hard it was becoming flatbread instead as he unwrapped it. He didn’t look at Himchan and Yongnam anymore. Instead, he stared all the calories out of his sandwich. It appeared it wasn’t grilled enough for his taste considering the fire in his eyes.


	41. Chapter Forty One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Double update. Make sure you read the previous chapter first :)

Zelo wiped his palms off in his pants yet another time. He was on his way to the Yoo household with a new realization. He would never had realized alone, but with Himchan’s help, he had solved the mystery of butterflies in his stomach. Looking back, he couldn’t help but roll his eyes at how stupid he had been for not realizing it himself. He took a shuddering breath as he stood by the gates to the huge ground of the Yoo's and swallowed down a nervous lump in his throat. He worried on his lower lip for a good minute as he went over his conversation with Himchan earlier. He could do this. Himchan was right. It had been a week since Youngjae had helped Zelo move in with Himchan and Zelo had become much more aware of his feelings. He would blush at the simplest touch at the cafeteria table and he would stumble over words he had easily spoken so many times before. It was embarrassing how obvious his crush was, now that he was aware of it. Everyone else probably knew it too.

Zelo took one last shuddering breath before he pushed the buzzer by the gate and waited for someone to answer. When someone finally answered the buzzer, Zelo smiled widely when he heard Youngjae’s voice on the other end.

“Hey Hyung, are you busy?” Zelo asked and Youngjae instantly invited Zelo in and the gates opened in front of him. With long strides, he walked up the driveway. The closer he got the shorter his steps became because, holy hell, he was going to be alone with Youngjae once again and he had intentions of confessing his feelings for the older. By the time he was reaching the front door his steps were the tiniest he had ever taken and his palms were sweating waterfalls. His mouth was suddenly dry and he swallowed repeatedly in hopes of getting his salivating system back in business.

“Hi, Zelo!” the forever cheerful greeting came from the older boy and Zelo smiled widely. He waved at him as he covered the remaining distance between them in a few long strides.

“Hi, Hyung,” he greeted him back and waited for Youngjae to walk back in first.

“What brings you here? Did you forget something? Something wrong? Something I did?” Youngjae was obviously as nervous as Zelo was. The younger quickly shook his head and smiled reassuringly at the older.

“No no, nothing’s wrong. I just came to thank you for helping me move,” Zelo started and Youngjae visibly relaxed with the words. “And then I have to tell you something,” Zelo continued and his voice cracked slightly as another rush of nerves washed over him.

“Come on inside then. My parents are out,” Youngjae said and Zelo was relieved by that. Together they walked inside and Zelo headed straight for the older’s room. The house was too big for Zelo to find comfort in when there was no one around aside from the two of them. He had gotten used to having people around him.

“Do you want something to drink?” Youngjae asked as they passed the kitchen. Zelo nodded slowly.

“A glass of water would do wonders,” he said and swallowed nothing again in an attempt to trigger his salivation to start again without success.

“You don’t want a coke instead? I have a few cans in the fridge,” Youngjae offered.

“Whatever you have is fine,” Zelo said, not wanting to trouble the older. “Just whatever you are having,” he said with a smile and Youngjae disappeared through the door. Zelo stood in the doorway and leaned somewhat awkwardly against the doorframe. Watching Youngjae was something. Distracting, the least. Youngjae returned with two cans of coke and Zelo turned out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

 

Youngjae silently thanked the cokes in his hands for giving his hands something to do. His fingers were shaking and his legs threatened to give out any second. Zelo was right there, in his house, where he happened to be alone, and fuck he was close. He followed the younger upstairs. Zelo entered his first room and scurried towards the couch and sat down. Youngjae followed suit and handed Zelo his can of coke. They sat in silence for a while. It wasn’t exactly uncomfortable, but it wasn’t comfortable either. It was somewhere in between. Youngjae fiddled around, not knowing what to say when his crush was sitting right there and Zelo didn’t appear to be saying anything any time soon either. The distinct sounds of cans being opened echoed through the room and they both drank from the metallic cans. Youngjae just took a sip, but Zelo appeared to be emptying the can in just a few gulps.

“So, Daehyun is going to meet Jongup’s parents today,” Youngjae said in an attempt not to start the conversation up awkwardly.

“Yeah, he is,” Zelo confirmed and said nothing else aside from that. The following silence lasted a bit too long for it to be comfortable.

“It would be fun to look at.” Youngjae continued and Zelo nodded slowly.

“Yeah,”

“Yeah,” Youngjae parrotted in agreement for a reason unknown to himself. “Do you think it goes well?” He continued and looked at Zelo. The younger shrugged in response and nodded.

“Yeah,”

“Yeah,” A long silence followed and Zelo repeated with a “Yeah,”

Youngjae watched as Zelo gulped down the last bits of his coke and set the can aside.

“I like you,” The words left Zelo’s mouth quicker than Youngjae had ever expected Zelo to be able to speak but the message registered just fine. A whirlwind of thoughts rushed through Youngjae’s head, hope toning most of them. But, of course, Zelo couldn’t mean it like Youngjae wanted him too. Especially not when he was sitting in front of him like that. This close at that. Youngjae could barely think despite how many thoughts raked his brain.   
“I like you too, Zelo,” he said as casually as he could as he tried to keep his heart down and get over the initial heart attack Zelo gave him. Zelo shouldn’t say stuff like that without a warning. He had needed time to brace his heart for such a message so he didn’t take it the wrong way like he first had done.

“No, I like you,” Zelo repeated himself and Youngjae chuckled lightly as he reached over to ruffle Zelo’s hair.

“Of course. And I like you too, Zelo,” Youngjae said and smiled widely, while on the inside he was dying. Zelo was making it really hard not to get his hopes up there to be a them. A small groan left the younger as he shifted around so he was facing Youngjae. Youngjae eyed him carefully and felt his heart accelerate the closer he came.

“No, I like you like you. I want to kiss you like you,” Youngjae heard nothing. Blood was rushing in his ears. Damn it Zelo was so close. His lips got closer and...Zelo kissed him. His brain short circuited and all thoughts stopped. There was no lip movement, just a simple and gentle press of lips against his own. His eyes widened in realization. Zelo liked him like that. The foreign yet perfect lips pulled away from him and Youngjae was left in a daze.

“I’m sorry...I...I’m sorry.” Zelo rambled as he moved away from Youngjae, scrambling to move off the couch. “I didn’t mean to...Yes, I did, but not like this. I’m sorry!” Zelo squeaked out. Youngjae only blinked in return. What just happened?

“I just had to um, tell you. I didn’t plan on kissing you. God, I’m such an idiot,” Zelo rambled and grabbed the can of coke from the table. “I’ll just.. I’ll leave now,” Zelo said and made a beeline for the door. That’s when reality dawned on Youngjae and he shot from his seat to cut off Zelo’s grand - but not so elegant - exit.

“Don’t leave,” Youngjae whispered as he grabbed a hold of Zelo’s elbow. The younger stopped and glanced at Youngjae over his shoulder, clearly trying to avoid eye contact.

“I’m sorry,” Zelo repeated himself but Youngjae shook his head.

“I’m not,” He admitted and looked down, a blush flaring on his cheeks. “I’m glad you did it,” He mumbled.

“Oh,”

“Yeah,” Youngjae chuckled breathlessly.

“So...I like you,” Zelo repeated himself once again and Youngjae smiled this time.

“I like you too. I like you like that,” He said and turned Zelo around by his elbow. The shorter tiptoed to press a chaste kiss against Zelo’s lips to seal their feelings.

“So...will you be my boyfriend?” Zelo asked carefully and Youngjae nodded eagerly.

“Yeah,”

  
  


To say Daehyun was nervous would be an understatement. To say he was shitting bricks at the moment would be a more accurate description. He was going to meet Jongup’s parents. Mr. and Mrs. Moon. The people who had brought Jongup into the world and raised him. And gods, he wanted them to like him and give them permission to marry and ride into the sunset together. Okay, maybe that would be going too far for a first meeting. Maybe second or third would be better.

He looked at Jongup, who looked back at him with an expression that told him not to worry.

“I’m not nervous,” Daehyun told his boyfriend, silently adding ‘I’m far beyond that’ in his mind. Jongup raised an eyebrow at him, telling him he didn’t believe him. So Daehyun gave him a brave smile despite dying on the inside, as they opened the door to the apartment building.

Far too soon, they were in front of the door to the Moon’s apartment. And of course, Jongup just had to open the door like he lived there and just walk right in. No knocking needed apparently. Which, now that he thought about it, was pretty normal as his boyfriend did, in fact, live there.

There was no loud greeting from Jongup’s side, announcing his arrival like Daehyun did. But then again he didn’t expect that with the younger’s quiet nature. Instead, he quietly took off his shoes (Daehyun following suit) and went into the apartment. They arrived in the kitchen where a woman stood in front of a stove. She turned around when they entered and a wide smile graced her features. You could see the resemblance between her and Jongup.

“Welcome home,” she greeted and gave Jongup a hug. “You must be Daehyun,” she continued and held out a hand for him to take. He quickly took her hand, bowed deeply and replied with a ‘yes’. She gave him an amused smile. Hopefully, that was a good sign.

Jongup looked at his mom with a smile and she nodded back. The younger then took Daehyun’s hand before he could figure out what had been said and led him out. They made their way into the living room again and Jongup sat him down on the couch. With a kiss on his lips, Jongup silently told him to stay and went back into the kitchen.

Being alone suddenly, the nerves raced on, making him collapse into the couch. He had said ‘yes’ to Jongup’s mother. No ‘nice to meet you’ or anything decent like that. His hand found his face with a slap and he groaned. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Taking a deep breath he looked around the living room. He had seen it before, but he hadn’t really looked around as he was too busy focusing on Jongup.

A tap on his shoulder and a shriek later, he was suddenly standing up looking at a man he hadn’t seen before. He looked a bit like Jongup, however, so Daehyun guessed it was his boyfriend’s father when his heart had calmed down. The man grinned at him and he got the impression that he was like Jongup with his silent talking. Daehyun bowed.  
“Hello, nice to meet you,” he greeted Jongup’s father, who nodded back with a small smile. Using the same silent language as Jongup, he welcomed him to their home. He studying Daehyun closely, making the latter even more nervous. If he literally shat bricks right now, he wouldn’t be surprised.

“So, it’s nice to meet my husband, but I just get a confirmation that it’s you who is my son’s boyfriend,” a female voice said dryly from his right. Shit. Shit, shit, shit fuck.

“Uh, uh, no, um,” Daehyun stammered trying to say the right thing, but just said a lot of uh’s and um’s. Jongup’s mother started laughing heartily and he looked to his boyfriend for help. He found none, however, as the boy was sending his mother a berating look.

“Daehyun,” Jongup said and held a hand out for him to take. Daehyun hurriedly took the hand and was pulled along to the dining table and sat down. A laughing Mrs. Moon followed, along with a smiling Mr. Moon. Dinner stood on the table, looking simple and smelling delicious.

When they were all sitting around the table, the three Moon’s began to ladle food onto their plates and Daehyun hurriedly did so as well.

“So, Daehyun. What are your plans for the future?” Mrs. Moon asked him when he finished putting food on his plate. Red lights and alarms began blaring in Daehyun’s mind as he panicked. What was he supposed to answer to that? It was probably a trick question.

“Uh,” he started and looked at his boyfriend who was not looking at him. “I wanted to, you know, just, you know-”

“I don’t know, kid. Spit it out,” Mrs. Moon interrupted, her words as dry as the Sahara desert. Oh shit. Should he tell the truth? He didn’t know. Maybe he should aim high and go for becoming rich because of a business. Become a lawyer? Maybe a doctor? Parents liked that, didn’t they?

“We’re singing together. I hope that will develop into something,” he ended up just telling the truth. Mrs. Moon nodded slowly, a thoughtful expression on her face. He looked at Jongup for guidance, but he was busy looking at his father with a pleading expression. Mr. Moon, however, just looked amused and satisfied.

“And this is your dream?” Mrs. Moon asked, still thoughtful.

Daehyun nodded. “It would be wonderful to sing with my best friends,” he answered.

“Your friends? Here by saying Jongup is your friend?”

“Mom!” Jongup interrupted but was hushed.

“Well yes,” Daehyun answered slowly, very uncomfortable and not knowing where to tread. “He is my friend along with being my boyfriend.”

Mrs. Moon narrowed her eyes at him and Daehyun’s insides swirled in a nervous wreck. He had said something wrong. Fuck, fuck, fuck, shit fuck. He was going to be kicked out. Never was he going to get Jongup’s parents approval! He should have said something else!

“Well,” Mrs. Moon began with a stern look. “You need to eat more, that’s for sure. You’re as thin as a twig!” she continued, completely losing her stern expression. Instead, it was amused. Daehyun looked around the table to find Mr. Moon wearing the same expression and Jongup facepalming. What just happened?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hereby declare Youngjae and Zelo's favorite word to be yeah.


	42. Chapter Forty Two

Hunched over his school books, Youngjae was twiddling a pen between his fingers. It was a habit he had developed a long time ago and did whenever he was focused. Geography tests were coming up, and Youngjae was required to be the best in class. A finger trailed down the pages in his book as he referred to his notes. He made sure his pen turned the right way in his hand and started scribbling down additional notes in the margin of his notebook. More often than not he found himself zoning out. His thoughts wandered off to a certain taller boy and he found himself smiling stupidly to himself. He had a boyfriend. He bit his lower lip to suppress a giggle. He didn’t giggle. It went against his manly character to giggle. Instead, he settled for grinning like a madman instead. He stared ahead of himself for several minutes, thinking about what was to come between them. His daydreams were becoming embarrassingly adorable. He shook his head and looked down at his textbook. He couldn’t stop grinning but at least he was studying.

A soft knock was heard on the door, and before Youngjae had a chance to welcome them, it opened and in stepped none other than Victoria. Youngjae was too far gone in his own happy bubble to feel the slightest bit of resentment towards her and actually managed to smile in greeting.

“So happy to see me Oppa?” She asked as she tugged a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled at him. Youngjae gave a noncommittal hum as he turned away from his books to look at her instead. “Well, what were you doing?” She asked him tiptoed slightly as she walked closer, pretending to be interested in what was on the desk.

“I was preparing for a test tomorrow.” He replied and she cooed softly.

“So smart,” he could only roll his eyes subtly in response. It was more than what could be said about her. He was forced to be, and he hadn’t really minded until he got a life outside the textbooks and his parents’ company.

“What are you doing here?” Youngjae wanted to know as he watched her move to sit on his couch. She crossed her legs once she sat and straightened out her skirt.

“I came to see my favorite Oppa," she said, attempting to be cute with a voice a pitch higher than usual. It almost had Youngjae cringe. Cute didn’t settle well with Victoria. And even if it did she would never be able to reach Zelo’s level of cute.

“You saw me, and I’m trying to study,” Youngjae turned the girl down and turned back around to look at his book.

“You won’t even notice I’m here. I’ll just wait for you to finish,” she insisted and Youngjae couldn’t refuse. His parents were just downstairs and if Victoria left already he would be in trouble.

“Fine, but don’t make a sound," he required and Victoria made a show of zipping her lips and throw away her imaginary key. With that Youngjae returned to his studying and occasional daydreams, having completely forgotten about the other’s presence in his room.

“Why are you smiling?” A voice sounded next to him, startling Youngjae out of his daydream and having him flush slightly in embarrassment.

“No reason,” he claimed, probably a bit too quickly. He watched as she narrowed her eyes at him and studied him closely.

“No no, that was definitely a smile from someone in love,” she claimed and pointed at him accusingly. Okay, maybe she wasn’t entirely stupid. “Who is she?” She asked him, voice leaving no room for Youngjae to stay quiet.

“She is no one,” he claimed. He was thankful for how she asked him. He didn’t have to lie this way.

“You’re a liar,” she accused him and he shook his head. She huffed, obviously not believing him. Her cutesy act had long been dropped as she leaned over the desk set on interrogating him. “Who is it?” She asked, changing up the question a bit.

“It’s no one. It’s none of your business,” Youngjae sighed and leaned back in his chair and looked at Victoria displeased with her presence now.

“It is my business when you’re supposed to be my husband,” she exclaimed, her voice a tiny bit frantic. It didn’t face the boy though. He had his contract so he didn’t have to worry about marrying her.

“I don’t even like you,” he responded and kept his eyes on her to take in her actions.

“You have to,” she pushed harder making Youngjae shaking his head.

“I don’t even like girls,” he said. As his words registered in his own mind, his eyes widened and he covered his mouth in absolute horror. Victoria’s eyes widened too, possibly more than Youngjae’s own and she gasped.

“You got a boyfriend?!!” She exclaimed loudly and pointed at Youngjae with a perfectly manicured finger. “You’re gay!” She stated the obvious and Youngjae frantically shook his head to deny such thing. She stared at him and he stared back. He could practically hear the gears spinning in her brain and he pleaded her silently not to do anything.

“Please don’t say anythi…” She shot into a straight position fast enough for a spine to pop slightly at the impact before she darted out the door, heels clicking against the floor. Youngjae was right on her tail.

“Mr. Yoo!” She called out as she reached the bottom of the stairs, Youngjae frantically skipping every other step to reach her faster. She couldn’t tell his dad. She just couldn’t. He had to stop her.

“Mr. Yoo! I have something to tell you!” She shouted into the mansion. Youngjae could hear his father’s footsteps much louder than Victoria’s annoying heels.

“Victoria-ssi?” His father came into view and Victoria skidded to a halt in front of him.

“Youngjae has a boyfriend,” she said and Youngjae stopped on the last step of the stairs, feeling the blood drain from his face.

“A what?” Mr. Yoo asked and looked over the girl’s shoulder to glare at Youngjae. Youngjae gulped and took a careful step off the stairs.

 

A familiar tune rang throughout the apartment, catching Himchan’s attention as he stood in the kitchen, cooking. Turning down the heat on the stove, he fetched his phone from the living room. It was Youngjae calling.

“Hey, what’s up?” he greeted the other as he walked back to the kitchen.

“Himchan, you’ve got to help me,” Youngjae’s voice answered.

“What do you need help with?” Himchan asked, putting the phone between his ear and shoulder as he turned a ladle in one of the pots. It smelled good.

“I’ve messed up. I don’t know what to do,” Youngjae told him, sounding desperate.

“What has happened?” the older questioned, turning off the stove and grabbed hold of the phone again to hear better.

“My parents have locked me up. They found out about Zelo and me,” the boy replied, panic seeping into his words.

“Wait, wait, what? Tell me what happened precisely. From the beginning,” Himchan told the boy, making his way into the living room. A deep breath was heard from through phone as he sat down.

“You know about Zelo and me right?” Youngjae asked and Himchan hummed in confirmation. The youngest had called him rather excitedly about those news yesterday, not being able to wait until he came home.

“Victoria found out. Or I told her. I told her to get her off my back, she was just so… pushy!” the boy explained, becoming more agitated by the second.

“Why is it so bad you told Victoria?” Himchan asked calmly, hoping it would calm the other as well.

“She told my parents. They’re furious! They’re never going to let me see Zelo again. I’m going to be forced into marriage with Victoria!” Youngjae told him.

“Didn’t you make a contract to prevent that?” he questioned.

“I did, but seeing as being gay can “be bad” for the company, my dad won’t listen! He’d take me to court if he had to.”

“Okay, let’s take this one problem at a time,” Himchan started. “First, we can’t have you wed off to Victoria. Then we’ll take on the problem with them accepting Zelo.”

“How do we do that?”

“This Victoria, is Victoria Song right? The sex-crazed Victoria Song I know as well?”

“I don’t know about her being sex-crazed even though it sounds plausible, but her name is Victoria Song,” Youngjae affirmed.  
“Great. I have a plan. Keep your phone on you, I’ll call you back,” Himchan told the other as a plan formed in his head. All he had to do was get a friend of his to agree.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Six chapters to the end! Da da da dum!


	43. Chapter Forty Three

“You’re coming straight home after school,” Youngjae’s mother looked at him sternly, leaving no room for arguments.

“Yes, Mother,” he replied. Good thing he had started to go to school earlier since he made friends and his parents didn’t catch up. There was still plenty of time until school started. But he had to meet with Himchan and hear about his plan for how to take Victoria down. He left the mansion and descended the stairs only to get into the car that was already waiting for him. He buckled up and closed his eyes, trying to collect his mind before meeting up with Himchan. He had been a mess since Victoria learned about his sexual orientation. His parents didn’t even know he was dating a currently parentless, poor boy, with no big business in his backpack. He was pretty sure he had been beheaded if they learned that too. He didn’t open his eyes until the car came to a stop in the parking lot to the school. He left the car without saying a word to the driver and headed straight for where he had agreed to meet with Himchan. The walk to get around the school had never been as long as it was this time. Finally, turning the last corner, he blinked seeing someone that obviously wasn’t Himchan sitting where they had agreed to meet. He wasn’t Himchan but one of those boys Himchan used to hang out around. He pulled out his phone and made the screen light up. No texts from Himchan about him being late or anything.

“Youngjae?” The man asked and Youngjae looked at him again.

“Yes?” He confirmed and took a few steps closer.

“Himchan just left for the restroom, he should be back in a minute,” the stranger and Youngjae nodded in acknowledgment. “I’m Jonghyun. Himchan’s friend. I take it I’m a part of your plan to help you,” He introduced himself and Youngjae blinked stupidly at his words. Did the entire world have to learn about his crisis?

“Oh, Youngjae, you’re here,” Himchan spoke and walked over to sit between Jonghyun and him. Youngjae nodded to confirm Himchan’s observation even if it wasn’t necessary. “Good, well, this is Jonghyun and he has had the hots for Victoria for qui…”

“Hey!” Jonghyun exclaimed but Himchan waved him off.

“...As I was saying, Jonghyun has had the hots for Victoria since he saw her the first time I think. They are having a kind of relationship, but not the kind of relationship Jonghyun would like it to be. I heard Jonghyun brag about some pictures he had of Victoria a while ago. And I thought it was just the pictures we needed to get your parents on other thoughts about you marrying Victoria,” Himchan explained. Youngjae nodded as he understood what Himchan’s plan was.

“What kind of pictures are they?” Youngjae found himself asking and Himchan looked at Jonghyun expectantly. The shorter male pulled out his phone and looked through his pictures until the desired picture showed up on the screen. He slid the phone over, screen down and leaned back. Youngjae watched as he looked off to the side, obviously not entirely comfortable about the situation and it made nervousness coil in Youngjae’s gut. He picked up the phone and turned it around only to drop it like it had burnt him.

“Do you think it’ll work?” Himchan asked hopefully and Youngjae could only nod slowly in confirmation. How he wished he could unsee that. He needed to wash his eyes, with sulphuric acid preferably, after seeing that.

Youngjae left Himchan and Jonghyun after agreeing on their plan, no matter how disgusting it was. Getting rid of a leech like Victoria required strong poison. He headed towards the main entrance where he knew Zelo would come soon. He had asked Himchan if he had followed him to school but Himchan shook his head no and told how he had valued his sleep more. Youngjae could only chuckle at that and decided to just wait for him at the entrance. When the boy appeared in the crowd, a grin spread on Youngjae’s lips. He tiptoed and waved in his direction. When Zelo spotted him, he smiled back and gave a shy wave in return. The older waited patiently for the students to stream through the doors until his boyfriend got to him. He filtered in and grabbed a hold of Zelo’s hand as a warm blush crept up his neck. He wasn’t used to or comfortable with the public display, but Junhong was his. They walked to Zelo’s classroom and liked it was empty. When the door closed behind him Zelo turned to face him with worry gleaming in his eyes.

“How are you?” He asked him and Youngjae shrugged lightly.

“I’m alright. They have me on house arrest for the time being and they are talking about where and when the marriage is to stand," he explained and looked up at Zelo slightly deflated. It was tearing on him to listen to all the time. Zelo cupped his cheek and stroked his cheekbone gently with his thumb and clicked his tongue disapprovingly.

“And there is nothing you can do to make them stop?” The younger asked softly despite the trace of desperation was obvious in his voice.

“Well, Himchan Hyung has a plan to make my parents change their mind about Victoria,” Youngjae said and looked up with a hopeful smile. “Hopefully it’ll be enough. But I don’t know how they will accept me being with you,” he sighed. Zelo drew a small smile and leaned down to peck his lips softly. It was chaste but just enough to make Youngjae smile again.

“If Himchan Hyung has a plan, it will be alright. He will make sure to help us.” Zelo assured him. Youngjae smiled wider. The youngest’s trust in Himchan was amazing. And infecting too. Youngjae couldn’t help but find a little hope in Zelo’s optimism too.

 

There are many things in this world that would be unlikely to come out of Himchan’s mouth while with other people. One of them, being that he actually thinks he doesn’t look that great. Actually, anything that doesn’t boost his self-confidence is unlikely. Another thing was him talking about his deep, actual, cheesy feelings. They’re usually only sarcastic or ironic. Which is why Yongguk is currently standing open mouthed, eyes widened and simply not believing the string of words coming out of Himchan’s mouth. Because this doesn’t really happen.

If Yongguk is to believe his best friend, then Yongguk is apparently perfect with a gummy smile, looks, and a beautiful personality. If he is to believe what comes out of Himchan’s mouth, then this is basically a confession. It’s like some kind of cruel joke.

“I’m in love with you, Yongguk.” Himchan finishes. Yongguk opens and closes his mouth like a fish. His best friend that he loves so much, wasn’t just pulling a joke on him. Himchan only uses Yongguk’s real name when it’s something serious. Otherwise, it’s just Bbang. ‘Lovely and hilarious Bbang’ as Himchan says.

“Please say something Yongguk,” Himchan pleads when Yongguk still hasn’t said anything. And that’s what makes this so unbelievable. His best friend is serious, but last time he checked, the other was with his twin. Did they break up? Was this all a joke? No, it couldn’t be. But Yongguk still can’t utter a word. No sound slips past his lips as Himchan stands oddly without confidence and watery eyes in front of him.

“Just forget it, Yongguk. Pretend this never happened. I’ll just go,” Himchan says after the silence drags on for too long. And with the most broken face Yongguk has ever seen, Himchan turns and walks away from him. A silent sob shakes his shoulders as he walks away from Yongguk.

“H-himchan!” Yongguk calls, finally getting something past his lips. The said boy stops and turns to look back. There are silent tears streaming down his cheeks. Yongguk runs to the boy that got almost all the way down the long hallway in which they were standing. “I-I... I d-don’t...” he starts stuttering, trying to pull the right words forward, which is weird because Yongguk always has right words, though they come slowly.

“No, it’s fine, Yongguk. Really. Just let me be for a while.” Himchan interrupts him, pulling a brave face and starts to turn again. Yongguk’s hand shoots forward and prevents him from leaving. This Yongguk thing was becoming too scary. Three times in one day. Within 5 minutes to be more precise.

“No! You don’t get it. I... I... I don’t know what to say. You don’t... you don’t… Yongnam,” Yongguk struggled to get the words past his lips. Himchan gave a slight smile at the last part. “The thing is...” Yongguk started, trying to really grasp this situation. “I just... I really really want... like I really... like really... I...” Yongguk stumbled over his own words.

“Forget it, Bbang, don’t hurt yourself,” Himchan interrupted him, slowly gaining his usual self back. But now Yongguk didn’t want to be called Bbang. He wanted to be called Yongguk, just a little while longer.

“I love you!” Yongguk blurted out desperately. “So so much,” he continued in a quieter voice, hoping Himchan could see the sincerity in his eyes. Conflicting emotions ran across Himchan’s face. Hope at first, running into confusion, getting replaced by anger, then hurt, going into sadness and then confusion again.

“Don’t joke with me, Yongguk,” Himchan said in a serious voice that was still laced with tears. Yongguk was part happy he was calling him Yongguk again, part sad that Himchan didn’t seem to get that he loved him back.

“I love you, Himchan. I wouldn’t joke with that,” Yongguk started, finally finding his words. “I love you. I’ve loved you for so long. I just didn’t think you would ever love me back and I didn’t know what to do just now. I thought you were with Yongnam. It’s just too good to be true,” he finished almost whispering. Himchan’s eyes shone with light. Yongguk had always liked Himchan’s eyes. Whether they be big and scary or soft and happy or even sad. Though he didn’t like it when Himchan was sad, his eyes never failed to amaze him.

“Really?” Himchan asked uncertainly. Yongguk nodded and smiled a small smile. “Why did you think I was with Yongnam?”

“I saw you two kissing,” Yongguk explained. Himchan’s eyes widened.

“We were never together. We just kissed once, that’s all,” he told him.

“Really?”

“Really, really,” Himchan confirmed with a small smile playing on his lips.

“I.. can I kiss you?” Yongguk asked hesitantly, feeling his face heat up slightly. The other nodded and stepped closer. Leaning in slowly, he closed his eyes and captured the boy’s lips pressing a soft kiss against the lips he had dreamed of how they would be against his own.


	44. Chapter Forty Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Graphic description of nudity

Himchan set his bag down when he entered his shared apartment and let himself enter a small daze. He had focused really hard not to let himself slip during the day and make himself embarrassed in front of his classmates, school mates, or even the teachers. But now that he was home alone he stayed by the door, frozen to the spot. He touched his lips gingerly and smiled. It hadn’t felt that way when he had kissed Yongnam. It hadn’t left his lips tingling for hours afterward and it hadn’t left him with the urge to lick his lips at any chance to capture the last linger of his taste. As disgustingly perfect everything seemed, he also had to explain the situation with Yongnam to Yongguk. Obviously, it had bothered Yongguk more than he had let on as it happened. He had brought Yongguk to the music room after his confession and settled for explaining the situation. He told him how it had been easier to flirt with Yongnam when he didn’t like him. He explained how he hid his feelings because he didn’t want to seem weak in front of Yongguk. And the way he had been scared of rejection all the while. In return Yongguk had told him how he had struggled with accepting him and Yongnam might have ended up together and how he had felt around Yongnam after thinking he was to steal his first love. Yongguk had pretty much resembled a kicked puppy as he explained and Himchan had had to kiss the pout away before it became too much for him to handle.

Unable to suppress his beaming smile, Himchan continued into the kitchen and studied the content of the fridge and made a mental shopping list. He dug out his wallet from his school bag and plucked a couple of shopping bags on his way out. He opened the door just to see Zelo about to put his key in the lock.

“Sweet honey oat!” Himchan exclaimed in surprise and Zelo wasn’t much better off. They smiled sheepishly at each other before they laughed softly.

“I’m heading shopping, you wanna come?” He asked and Zelo agreed instantly and told how he just needed to drop off his backpack. Himchan waited on the stairway and headed down when Zelo came out and locked the door behind him.

They walked in silence for a while. It was a comfortable silence that had settled between them, so Himchan didn’t mind. They were half way to the store before Zelo spoke up.

“You have a plan to get Youngjae out of the marriage with Victoria?” He asked and Himchan gave a hum of confirmation.

“I do. It’s ready to play out. We just need a bit more evidence,” Himchan explained without telling Zelo what the plan was about. He didn’t want to taint the innocent maknae.

“Are you sure it will work?” He asked and Himchan couldn’t find it cute how Zelo worried about Youngjae. They really were good for each other.

“I am honestly not sure. I’m sure it will get him out of the marriage, but I don’t know if it’s enough to help the two of you to be honest,” Himchan admitted and gave Zelo an apologetic smile. “But I’m working hard on coming up with a solution to that too. And Youngjae is smart too. He will try too,” Himchan said wrapped an arm around Zelo’s shoulders to give him a supportive squeeze. He couldn’t help but laugh when Zelo bent his knees and smiled cheekily.

“Now you can reach better,” He chuckled and the mood was instantly lifted again. Himchan pushed him away playfully and rolled his eyes.

“At least I’m taller than your boyfriend,” he said and stuck his tongue out childishly. Just as Zelo was about to retort, Himchan’s phone went off with notifications of messages. Fishing it out of his pocket Himchan read the messages. He forwarded the pictures from Jonghyun to Youngjae and wrote a thank you back to his friend. His phone went off shortly after with a thumbs up emoji from Youngjae. Himchan wrote back ‘Fighting!’ and pocketed his phone, resuming his walk with Zelo to the mall.

 

Youngjae stared at his phone with an expression of pure disgust. The pictures he had gotten from Himchan, who had gotten them from Jonghyun, were worse than the one he had seen earlier that day. It had his insides churn in a not so pleasant way. He had gotten what seemed to be a whole photo album worth of blackmail. The first handful of pictures, it was closeups of Victoria sucking Jonghyun off. She held eye contact with the camera so it was obviously agreed upon with those pictures. One picture, she was kissing the tip of his cock with cum streaks covering her face and an obvious satisfied expression. The second, she was having her lips wrapped around the base of his cock and unshed tears in the corners of her eyes. She was enjoying it for sure. A third picture she was holding one side of his dick with both of her palms and pressed her cheek against the other side. He could practically see her nuzzling against it. All he conclude from those pictures were that Victoria was a slut and Jonghyun’s dick was pretty darn amazing. But he wasn’t going to admit that to anyone. He quickly skimmed through the pictures where Victoria was riding Jonghyun or had her face pressed into the mattress. He locked his phone and felt a disgusted shiver run down his spine. She really wasn’t attractive. He curled a fist and held it up next to his face and muttered encouragements to himself before he left his room. He could do this. He left his room with his phone neatly tucked in his back-pocket and headed straight for his father’s office. He knocked on the door a few times and waited for an answer.

“Come in,” his dad’s voice sounded stern but not unusually so. He swallowed thickly before he entered and bowed shortly to his father.

“Ah, Youngjae,” his father greeted him and looked back at his work. Youngjae walked over and sat down in the chair in front of his father as he finished his work.

“What brings you here?” He asked and Youngjae shifted nervously.

“I’m here to make you cancel the marriage with Ms. Song,” Youngjae went right to the core and his problem.

“You know I won’t do that. You broke your own contract,” his father reminded him and Youngjae nodded. He knew he had, but he regretted nothing. Zelo was worth it - except from the marriage part with Victoria.

“But I have become aware of something that you should see and I think it will make you reconsider your decision,” Youngjae said, sounding much more confident than he felt. His father looked at him expectantly but there was no trace of belief in his eyes.

“And what could possibly be so bad it should change my mind?” Mr. Yoo asked him and Youngjae brought out his phone. He unlocked it, carefully hiding his lock screen from his father and nodded to himself when the pictures showed. He really needed to wash his eyes after this. He handed the phone over to his dad and watched his expression carefully.

His eyes widened at first in shock over the content of the pictures. He watched as his expression softened and he looked back at Youngjae with a stern expression.

“Where did you get this?” He wanted to know.

“You have your contacts, I have mine,” Youngjae said. He wasn’t going to get either Himchan or Jonghyun in trouble for helping him out.

“And how can I be sure you didn’t photoshop this?” He asked. Youngjae didn’t know what to say. He could only hope he would believe him.

“I have more pictures?” He offered and looked at his father. His father’s eyes widened considerably again.

“How many?”

“Swipe your thumb from right to left. There is a total of 18 pictures,” Youngjae said and watched as his father did as he was told. He didn’t look at the pictures longer than to get a grasp of the nature of the pictures.

“The wedding is off. I don’t want you to marry someone who slept with half the city. Who knows how many pictures like this exists,” his father said and Youngjae had to sit on his hands not to explode with happiness.

“But don’t think you’re off the hook about having a boyfriend, Yoo Youngjae. A boyfriend. What were you thinking?” His father asked him and his happiness instantly deflated like air out of an untied balloon. He stayed quiet for a while thinking of how to respond to this and come out with the upper hand.

“I wasn’t thinking. I was following my heart,” he said, keeping the most confident expression he could muster.

“Your heart?” His father asked with obvious disbelief in his eyes. “You don’t follow your heart in business,” he reprimanded Youngjae who had to strangle a scoff in his throat.

“A heart was never a part of money. And I never desired money. I always had money, but I never really had love. I studied with everything I had to make you happy. I didn’t have any hobbies because I wasn’t allowed to. I didn’t have any friends because I didn’t have the time. I wanted to make you happy, proud, and get your love, but I never got it. I was always your tool for your business. Now that I have friends I got the first taste of love in my life. I’ve seen what friends do for each other. Selflessly too, without considering the cost in money. And then I have a boyfriend. And I would keep all of that, even it if meant losing the company and you and Mother,” Youngjae said, anger bubbling just underneath his skin. He had no idea where those words came from, but he didn’t regret saying any of them. His father sat still in his chair and looked at Youngjae taken aback by the outburst.

“You can’t leave. You’re the only heir to the company. We raised you to take over the business,” his father told him and Youngjae narrowed his eyes defiantly.

“Watch me,” was his last words as he walked towards the door ignoring his father’s calls for him.


	45. Chapter Forty Five

Fast steps sounded across the pavement as Youngjae ran. He was completely out of breath, but the thought of reaching Zelo as fast as possible had him going. He completely ignored his side stitch. His need to see Zelo was simply too great. He pushed through the door to the block where his friends were living, making the door crash against the wall with a power that could have broken the glass. He didn’t spare the elevator a glance as he had no patience to wait for it to come down and then go up with him. He took the stairs two steps at the time until he reached the floor where they were living and he sprinted to the apartment door. He knocked it frantically before he collapsed against the wooden surface, panting heavily. He needed to replace his lungs after this. The door clicked open and Youngjae didn’t have time to stand up and felt himself land into someone’s arms. Taken from the height of the body, he concluded it was his boyfriend.

“Youngjae!” Zelo’s voice rumbled under his ear full of surprise. “Geez, did you run here?” He asked as he practically dragged him inside, kicking the door shut with his foot behind them. Youngjae could only nod in response as he gulped down much needed breaths of oxygen. He was sat down on the small couch in their living room and he saw Himchan emerge from the kitchen.

“What the hell happened?” He asked when he saw Youngjae’s state. The breathless could only grin up at them as he was still unable to speak. How he regretted he hadn’t been exercising now.

Himchan disappeared into the kitchen as Zelo sat down next to Youngjae and took his hand in his own just as Himchan returned with a bottle of water for him.

“So?” Himchan asked when they had all been sitting in the living room for a few minutes and Youngjae’s breathing was returning to normal.

“I’m not getting married,” Youngjae started and Himchan and Zelo erupted in loud cheers. “Well, I am, but not with Victoria.” He continued, momentarily killing the cheers and earned himself a hit to the shoulder from the oldest.

“Who then?” Zelo asked carefully.

“As it seems now, you, in a few years,” Youngjae answered and a slap was heard from Himchan’s side of the room followed by a low chuckle. Youngjae looked over worried only to see Himchan with his palm against his forehead in a brilliant facepalm. He couldn’t help but laugh at his friend’s reaction himself.

“What?” Zelo asked in a small voice. It was almost as if he was too scared to hope.

“I am not getting married to Victoria and my father accepted I’m dating you. I had to threaten with leaving the family but he allowed us to be,” he explained and grinned brightly. Zelo’s expression mirrored his own as the words sunk in, and soon he was trapped in a bone-crushing hug. Youngjae laughed wholeheartedly in pure happiness. He had been so worried since Victoria spilled his secret and now it all seemed to work out for him. He placed a kiss in Zelo’s hair. The younger pulled back enough to press a chaste kiss against Youngjae’s lips before he snuggled up against him.

“Hyung, did you hear?” Zelo started and turned to Himchan who was standing up just then. “Youngjae and I get to be together,” he squealed and Youngjae was beyond happy with the smile Zelo received from Himchan. It was the kind of smile he had always wanted his own father to look at him with. He wrapped his arms around Zelo’s waist and placed his chin on his shoulder as he nodded at the older.

“I’m happy for you two. I’m really happy it settled for you,” he said and Youngjae grinned again. He couldn’t keep the smile off his face even if he tried.

“Thank you for helping me. Us,” Youngjae said and looked at Himchan with a genuinely thankful expression. Himchan smiled back and nodded in acknowledgment.

“Anything for a friend in trouble,” he chuckled and left the apartment. Youngjae tightened his hold around Zelo. He was the happiest he had ever been.

 

“My prince!” Yongnam yelled from the front door. “What have we ever done to deserve your presence in our humble home?” he continued dramatically and Yongguk sighed heavily. Yongnam’s antics never changed.

“Hey, Nam, where’s Bbang?” Himchan’s voice drifted to the living room and Yongguk stood up immediately.

“In the living room, oh Great One,” Yongnam answered just as Yongguk entered the hallway to see him bowing deeply to Himchan. The person in question simply chuckled and looked past him to Yongguk.

“Hey, Bbang,” he smiled brightly and Yongguk couldn’t help but smile back.

“Hey,” he greeted back, with butterflies in his stomach. Himchan was here. And he was his boyfriend. It made him smile wider.

“Do not mind the peasant, dear Lord of Beauty, mind the servant instead,” Yongnam interrupted and Yongguk could feel a flare of irritation at his brother.

“Behave, servant!” Himchan scolded Yongnam with a smile. “One does not command the Lord of Beauty,” he continued and went over to Yongguk, tugging him along to the living room. Yongguk stuck his tongue out at his twin over the shoulder. They sat down on the couch, Yongnam following them and sitting next to Himchan.

“But dear Great One, you make my heart go ‘doki doki’,” Yongnam pouted. Yongguk scowled at his brother while his boyfriend laughed heartedly.

“I make many hearts go ‘doki doki’. Like your brother’s for example,” Himchan grinned.

“His heart does not go ‘doki doki’ for you!” Yongnam exclaimed loudly. “He is not cute enough! I, on the other hand, am cute enough,” he continued with a brilliant and flirty smile as he flipped his hair. Yongguk reached over to clap his brother one on the head.  
“You idiot, we look almost the same,” he grumbled and his twin looked at him in horror.

“What blasphemy is this!? My cuteness, handsomeness and sexiness go unchallenged by you, dear brother!” Yongnam declared, before looking pleadingly at Himchan. “My Prince, my lord, my god, leave this abomination and run with me down the rainbow road to happiness,”

“Fuck off,” Yongguk scowled, irritation flaring up again. Himchan laughed.  
“My trustworthy servant, though it pains me greatly, I cannot leave the peasant! He takes me down the rainbow road of happiness, with cotton candy clouds, lollipop trees. and sugary flowers. Where the rivers are of chocolate and the stones are of marshmallows, where every sugar fairy dances in joy,” he told Yongnam and Yongguk could feel his heart warm at the words. In the meanwhile, Yongnam clutched his heart.

“Oh, do not speak such words, I beg you, beautiful one. It pains my heart and burns my soul,” Yongguk’s twin begged dramatically. Yongguk found himself scowling again, tightening his grip on his boyfriend as he laughed.

“Aren’t you the cutest,” Himchan cooed as he pinched one of Yongnam’s cheeks.

“I am, besides you of course,” Yongnam replied with a bright smile. Yongguk rolled his eyes as Himchan continued his ‘you’re such a cutie’ mantra while stroking Yongnam’s hair. His twin leaned into the touch with closed eyes, smiling brightly. If the guy wasn’t his twin, he would have punched him by now.

“Chan,” Yongguk nearly whined at the lack of attention.

“Don’t worry Bbang, I’ll stroke your hair too,” Himchan teased him with a beautiful twinkle in his eye.

“No, not yet,” Yongnam pouted.

“For a little while longer then,” Himchan gave in, leaving Yongguk to grumble by himself.

“Forever,” his twin pleaded in the cutest and most creepy voice Yongguk had ever heard from him.

“Fuck off, Nam,” he told the other, who grinned at his words.

“Never,” his twin replied with an evil laugh and stuck out his tongue at him.

“Behave, you two,” Himchan scolded them with a light twinkle in his eye. But it wasn’t Yongguk he was looking at. Wasn’t he supposed to be Yongguk’s boyfriend? Not Yongnam’s. Why didn’t he look at him instead?

“Anything for the most beautiful of beauties,” Yongnam replied with a smile. Yongguk found himself scowling sadly.

“Now. Nam. I don’t want any disturbances from you, okay?” Himchan told his twin seriously, though with a cute edge to it. Yongnam nodded obediently and a smile was returned before Himchan turned to Yongguk.

“Come with me, Bbang. We’ll go make some music,” he told him and Yongguk nodded, happy that they would spend some quality time together. Himchan stood up, taking him with him. “I’ll teach you how to hit the high notes,” Himchan continued with a smile.


	46. Chapter Forty Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: explicit chapter

Yongguk followed Himchan toward wherever he was heading. High notes? He wasn’t supposed to be singing. Was he? No no. He was rapping. He was pretty damn sure he was rapping, then why was he going to be taught the high notes? Maybe Himchan just wanted to show him how high he could go? Yeah, that was probably it. Just then, Himchan locked the door behind them and pushed Yongguk back against the door, claiming his lips in a passionate but gentle kiss. Yongguk’s eyes widened in surprise but fell shut just as quickly. Himchan’s lips against his were an amazing sensation and something he had been craving since forever. They were finally away from his brother’s annoying presence and he had Himchan completely to himself. His mind short-circuited and he stood motionless for a few seconds before he remembered he too had to do something. But what? Yongguk didn’t know how to go about this. Sure he and Himchan had kissed before but they were kisses worth a drama. No lip movement just a simple press of lips. This was entirely different. Himchan’s lips moved against his, urging a response from him. Unaware of what he should do with his hands, Yongguk kept them by his sides as he responded to the kiss, awkwardly so at first. This kiss was different from all other kisses he had gotten. He had had his fair share of kisses and one night stands but none like this with Himchan. None like this with someone he loved. It was overwhelming to say it the least. He was still in shock over Himchan’s confession. Yongguk’s fingers sought for something to hold on to and curled into the fabric of Himchan’s shirt at his hips. It didn’t exactly feel right but he didn’t know what else he should do then. His mind was still processing Himchan was kissing him. He felt warm hands circle his wrists and lifted them. Himchan had placed his hands on his shoulders instead and Yongguk found it much better as they tangled around his neck and drew him closer. Himchan let out a sound of approval against his lips and Yongguk gasped softly. Himchan’s press on his lips became harder and the movements more impassioned, a gentle tongue swiping across his lips. Yongguk parted his lips for the other and let their tongues engage in a gentle slide where their lips were sealed. Yongguk’s hand traveled up the curve of Himchan’s nape and tangled into his hair, taking a firm yet gentle hold on the strands. Yongguk used the hold to tilt Himchan’s head just enough to deepen the kiss further. Himchan’s hands trailed down Yongguk’s chest and up again under the fabric of his shirt. The oldest shivered lightly and goosebumps covered his arms as Himchan’s warm fingertips danced over his skin. As their kiss went on, Yongguk’s shirt rode higher and higher until he had to raise his arms and the kiss broke. Himchan’s lips sealed over a patch of skin on his neck and he mouthed his way down over his shoulder and to his shoulder. Yongguk felt his knees weaken when Himchan dragged the flat of his teeth along his collarbone and kept him standing with the hands on his shoulders and the knee between his legs. When did that even get there?

Himchan continued his kissing and light sucking down the span of Yongguk’s chest. The latter felt how the small hairs hairs on his arms stood on end with the warm breath ghosting over his warmer skin. Yongguk’s arms tensed at his sides, fingers curling for something to hold on to. He drew in a shaky breath and circled Himchan’s shoulders with them, tangling his fingers into the coal black hair. He looked down at the slightly younger man and watched how the lids fluttered close as his teeth dragged over the pane of his abs. Himchan’s tongue sought lower in the cleft at the center of his stomach and dipped straight into Yongguk’s belly button. The older watched as Himchan lowered himself onto his knees and held onto Yongguk’s hips, thumbs drawing soothing motions as he looked up at him. Yongguk found his legs so weak he actually had to focus on standing still. He combed his fingers through Himchan’s hair and nodded, feeling how a warm feeling spread over his cheeks and down his neck. He watched as Himchan leaned in again, trailing his v-line with small kisses and his fingers unbuttoned his pants. The younger pressed a kiss to Yongguk’s hipbone as he tugged his pants and boxers down. When the fabrics pooled on the floor, Yongguk followed Himchan’s lead and laid down on his bed. The younger removed his own clothes and crawled into bed with Yongguk. He wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled him close against himself. Yongguk found the closeness between them relaxing and he leaned in to claim Himchan’s lips with his own. Daringly he rolled over so he was positioned between Himchan’s legs, the kiss still intact. He licked along the seam of Himchan’s lips and pushed his tongue through the way Himchan parted for him. He mapped out Himchan’s mouth, gently seeking out every bump and crevice and savoring the flavor of his boyfriend on his tongue. Himchan gave a soft sound of content into his mouth and Yongguk got encouraged by the soft touch of breath. He broke the kiss and mouthed down along Himchan’s jawline and paid special attention to the neck. He listened closely to all of Himchan’s reactions as he explored the pale skin. Every time Himchan’s breath hitched, Yongguk would pay more attention to the area, dragging his tongue across it or scrape it with his teeth. He would finish off by sucking a hickey there and lastly peck his mark. He pulled back occasionally to admire the blossoming of Himchan’s neck onto to dive in for a kiss and continue where he had left off. He felt Himchan’s arms raise around his shoulders and pulled him closer. Yongguk kissed up the underside of Himchan’s chin and claimed his lips again as Himchan’s hands wandered lower on his back, fingers digging into tense muscles on the way, slowly making Yongguk pudding above him. His hands lingered on his hips, just long enough to make Yongguk hyper-aware of their presence. The older buried his face in the crook of Himchan’s neck and shoulder and placed shy kisses on the skin.

“You okay?” Himchan asked and Yongguk breathed out a soft yes in reply. Himchan’s hands wandered lower on his hips and to his buttocks and Yongguk couldn’t help but shiver lightly in anticipation. He lowered himself onto Himchan’s body, needing to feel better contact between them. He could feel how his own body slotted perfectly against Himchan’s and how with the new position, Himchan’s breath ghosted over his ears with every breath he took.

“You sure?” Himchan asked and the elder nodded silently. He knew he was tensing on top of Himchan but that was in anticipation more than anything.

When Himchan didn’t do anything more for what seemed forever, Yongguk gave a soft nib to his neck. The bite had Himchan’s fingers curl into the pliant flesh of his buttocks and drew a small moan from the elder.

“Again,” He breathed out and buried his face deeper into Himchan’s neck who took no time to comply to the request. Himchan’s fingers were strong and slightly rough on his skin, but that was to be expected from a musician. To Yongguk it only made them all the more perfect. He gasped when Himchan pulled him closer and further up by his hands and their members brushed together, making both of them groan. Yongguk was already harder than he would like to admit, but he could feel Himchan was no better off, so it didn’t matter all that much. He pulled back from Himchan’s neck and kissed him again, one arm reaching out to search the space between the headboard and mattress for the bottle of lube he had hidden there. The bedside table was just too obvious, and with Yongnam around that was something he wouldn’t want. When he finally found it he placed it onto the mattress next to Himchan and then returned to holding onto the younger. Himchan let out a breathy chuckle and reached for the bottle and popped the cap. The sound alone had Yongguk tense in anticipation once again. He spent the time waiting by rolling his hips slowly against Himchan’s as he lathered up his fingers. A hand on his hips stilled him and Himchan squeezed it lightly.

“Yongguk, kiss me again,” he requested. Yongguk didn’t know if it was the request or the fact Himchan had used his real name again, or it was because he really wanted to, but he kissed him again. A deep, slow, and loving kiss that had his insides curl with a feeling stronger than anything else. Himchan kissed him back and the hand on his hip wandered down to his backside and pulled to the side. The younger parted from the kiss momentarily to request Yongguk to spread his legs across Himchan’s hips instead before he kissed him again. The older did as he was told and the pad of Himchan’s index finger pressed against the puckered rim of his entrance. At first, it was just a slow rub and light pressure that slowly built into pushing through his muscle. The feeling was slightly foreign at first and not exactly comfortable, but the way Himchan kissed his breath away had him distracted. When they parted for air again, Himchan had pushed a second finger into him and was slowly scissoring him open. Yongguk was too out of breath and distracted by the pleasure rising inside him to carry on with the kiss and settled for breathing into the mattress and moaning softly whenever Himchan curled his fingers just right or brushed against a sensitive spot inside him.

Yongguk felt slightly bad for Himchan for not receiving any pleasure from him as he was being stretched. He was just about to suggest doing something when he paid attention to Himchan’s breathing. Himchan was just as breathless as himself and a short shift of his hips proved Himchan to be leaking slightly against his stomach. Himchan was definitely not unaffected by what was happening. A third finger joined the first two and Yongguk let out an embarrassingly loud moan into the pillow below Himchan and his back arched like a bow. Himchan’s finger had brushed a part inside him he, in theory, knew existed but had never felt. A choked plead for more escaped Yongguk and much to his dismay, the fingers inside him only disappeared.

“I can’t wait anymore,” Himchan apologized as the lube popped open again. Yongguk, on the other hand, was squirming slightly to get the feeling back on his prostate and he was feeling exceptionally empty.

“Condom or..?” Himchan asked making Yongguk almost whine in desperation.

“No," he rasped out and held onto Himchan’s shoulders for support. “I just need you, now,” he explained and Himchan let out a low groan, obviously pleased with the reply. Yongguk felt Himchan shift underneath him and Yongguk did his best to accommodate the changes. When Himchan had found the best position for him, a hand placed itself on Yongguk’s hip and guided him upwards. Yongguk followed obediently and shifted along with the guidance. He was lowered slightly and he felt the tip of Himchan’s length press against his slightly stretched opening.

“You’re in control,” Himchan whispered and rubbed gentle circles on his hip with one hand while the other held up his length, Yongguk assumed. Drawing in a shaky breath, Yongguk slowly lowered himself onto Himchan’s length, feeling how the head breached his muscle. He stopped moving for a few seconds as he adjusted to the size. Himchan’s dick was by far much bigger than three fingers. Underneath him, Himchan had stopped breathing altogether and was staring up at him with hooded but observant eyes. His temple was throbbing lightly and Yongguk concluded it was his self-control that could be seen there. He leaned down and gave Himchan’s nose a soft kiss as he lowered himself further onto the length. The way it was stretching his insides so pleasurably urged him to go lower despite the slight discomfort he was feeling. It didn’t take long before he was bottomed out completely on Himchan’s dick and half way sitting up, using the younger’s chest for support.

“You feel so good,” he muttered shyly and earned himself a strained groan in response. He could only imagine how Himchan was controlling himself not to pull out and slam straight back into him. Yongguk’s fingers curled on Himchan’s chest as he felt the slight twitch inside him and his eyelids fluttered close. Carefully he pushed himself up, pulling a long moan from Himchan who must have been dying for some friction to his erection. Yongguk raised himself up with help from Himchan’s chest and his hands on his hips before he lowered himself again. He could feel how everything of Himchan rubbed along his insides in the most pleasurable ways possible. They moaned in sync, eyes locked and everything fit together perfectly. Yongguk admired how Himchan’s skin glistened with sweat and how it flexed with each movement Yongguk made, being it up or down. Himchan’s expression was focused as he tried to fit his movements with Yongguk’s and meet him halfway on his way down. Pleasure built in Yongguk’s abdomen and he was embarrassed by how quickly he was reaching his end, but Himchan just felt so good. He thought of everything bad he could to extend the time just a bit but in the end, Himchan always shone through his mind. His thighs were straining from moving and his arms burned. It really wasn’t a movement he was used to doing. Himchan didn’t look like he was much better off though. He was biting into his lower lip and his arms looked like they were shaking. Yongguk slowed down until he was practically sitting in Himchan’s lap, slowly rolling his hips back and forth. It was only to keep moving slightly but not nearly enough to satisfy the two of them. He leaned forward and held his head just above Himchan’s, heavy breath fanning across their faces.

“I love you.” Yongguk panted against Himchan’s mouth, earning him a genuine smile in return.

“I love you too,” Himchan parroted and squeezed his hips lovingly. As they caught their breaths, Himchan leaned up to seal their lips together in a tender kiss and carefully guided Yongguk to move a little more in his lap. In no time, Yongguk was rutting against Himchan’s lap, and their tongues engaged in a heated battle. Himchan’s hands guided his movements and urged him to go faster, and who was Yongguk to deny? He moved faster back and forth, then up and down. He moaned lowly in his throat as Himchan’s hips met his backside on the way down. He leaned down slightly to lay against Himchan and the new angle had the older see stars. A surprised moan left him and Himchan halted his movements momentarily. Yongguk was never going to deny the sound that left him in disappointment. Never. But then Himchan stayed inside him and made minuscule movements with his hips so the tip of his cock just nudged against his sensitive bundle of nerves with constant pressure. The pleasure was overwhelming and before he knew what was going on, tears were gathering in his eyes and small sobs left his lips in desperate pleas for more. Himchan was chuckling lightly underneath him and just when Yongguk thought he was about to lose it completely, he pulled out and thrust back in with a force that had Yongguk’s voice crack an octave higher.

Himchan’s thrusts sped up and Yongguk could do nothing but hold on tightly for the ride with the constant abuse of his prostate.

Feeling completely overstimulated with the way Himchan fucked him oh so good Yongguk was about to lose it. He was leaking between them, dripping pearly white onto Himchan’s stomach as he was on the verge of releasing. Himchan wasn’t far off either and made sure to let Yongguk know in a rough voice.

“Together.” Yongguk sobbed and desperately pressed his lips against Himchan’s, completely forgetting to move them before waves of pleasure washed through his body. Himchan’s thrusts lost rhythms and it somehow seemed to fit perfectly with Yongguk’s orgasm. He was basically crying from pleasure, his orgasm continuously dragged out by Himchan’s movements until he was a complete wreck on top of the other.

The world seemed to have gone completely white for Yongguk. He sensed nothing but the spasms rushing through his body repeatedly. If he hadn’t been so blissed out, he would have been panicking about it. He took a deep breath through his nose and released a content sigh, having his nostrils filled with a smell purely Himchan and sex. Groggily he opened his eyes and was met with his boyfriend’s fond eyes and a bright smile. Yongguk returned it shortly before he buried his face in Himchan’s neck and mumbled something that sounded like tired and sleep to himself but he wasn’t really sure. His words were muffled by Himchan’s neck after all. He pulled back slightly as he remembered something important.

“I love you.” He said softly and Himchan chuckled.

“Sleep Yongguk. You’re being cheesy.” He replied and held Yongguk tightly in his arms. None of them seemed to mind about the mess they had created and seconds later, Yongguk was snoring lightly.

 


	47. Chapter Forty Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Explicit content

Youngjae and Zelo walked hand in hand towards Youngjae’s house. Youngjae was going to bring Zelo to his house for the first time as his boyfriend. Luckily his parents weren’t going to be home. He wasn’t entirely sure he was ready to introduce Zelo to his parents. Not because he was scared if his parents would like Zelo, no he was scared Zelo wouldn’t like his parents. Studies told, one was most likely going to become like one’s own parents, and Youngjae didn’t want Zelo to believe he would end up like them. But thinking about it, Zelo probably didn’t believe in that. Zelo would never end up as his own parents. Youngjae fully believed in that. 

“God, I smell gross.” Zelo interrupted the older’s trail of thoughts. Youngjae laughed, relieved with the interruption and nodded in agreement.

“You do, but I’m no better off myself. I’ll lend you a towel and some clean clothes when we get home. Knickers and an oversized t-shirt will do right?” Youngjae asked. He didn’t exactly fit clothes with his boyfriend after all. But he figured a pair of knickers could serve as shorts and the t-shirt a few sizes too big for Youngjae - the one he usually slept in - would be alright for Zelo to wear for the day.

“Sounds perfect,” Zelo agreed with an eager nod and Youngjae couldn’t help but chuckle at the way his hair was bouncing with the movement. They entered the house and made their way upstairs to Youngjae’s room. As soon as they were inside, Zelo pushed him up against a wall.

“Wha-?” he started but was cut off by the other's lips. It was a gentle kiss that warmed Youngjae up all the way down to his toes. His boyfriend pulled back and smiled brightly at him, his eyes turning into little crescents.

“What was that for?” Youngjae asked surprised. The younger shrugged, still smiling. With a blooming smile on his face, the older escaped from the wall and went over to his closet to find the clothes for Zelo. “Do you want to shower first?” he asked and received a nod in answer. He handed his boyfriend the clothes and followed him to the bathroom.

“There’s a towel under the sink that you can take,” Youngjae told the younger, who nodded but didn’t turn to go in. “What?” Zelo didn’t answer but bent down to kiss him again. Like before, it was soft and gentle and warmed Youngjae’s heart. It continued for an eternity, yet not nearly long enough before Zelo pulled back.

“What’s with all the kisses?” he asked the younger, with an amused but blissful smile.

“Should I stop?” his boyfriend replied.

“No, I don’t mind,” Youngjae was quick to answer. That earned another kiss and a bright smile before Zelo went into the bathroom to shower. Walking back to his closet, he tried to find some clothes for himself. But he found that he couldn’t decide on what to wear. He wanted to look good. Impress.

“Stupid, he’s seen you as a sweaty mess, what does it matter?” he mumbled to himself. The way he looked right now wasn’t very impressive, but Zelo still kissed him like he was the center of the world. Deciding on a random pair of black jeans and a t-shirt to go with it, he went to wait on his bed.  
He had barely sat down when the door to the bathroom opened and Zelo stood there with wet hair, wearing his clothes. For some reason, it felt like Youngjae had been punched in the gut. There was something about the sight of his boyfriend wearing his clothes, coming out of his bathroom that left him with a weird feeling. The good kind.

“Your turn,” his boyfriend told him and walked over to him. Youngjae stood up and was about to tell the other he would be quick when he was kissed again. The warmth was still there and Zelo’s lips were soft. He could feel he was being guided somewhere, but he honestly couldn’t care at the moment. All he cared about was the gentle move of Zelo’s lips, the gentle hold Zelo had on the back of his neck and the way everything about the kiss sparked a soft warmth in Youngjae.  
And then he pulled away again, leaving Youngjae wanting more. His inner navigation system turned on again, finding himself in front of the bathroom door.

“Shower,” he said, more to remind himself than anyone else. Zelo nodded and stepped back.

“I’ll wait here,” he told him. Youngjae nodded and entered the bathroom.  
It was the quickest shower in the history of showers. Only barely long enough to get him properly clean. The thought of Zelo waiting in his room had him hurrying through the normally slow process for him. After drying himself, a thought struck him.  
He had forgotten his clothes in his bedroom. Muttering a few selected curses, he panicked for a moment. What was he going to do? Wrap the towel around his waist? But then you could see his chest and stomach. He could always waltz out naked… Youngjae snorted. Yeah waltz out naked and do the helicopter with his dick. Sounded like a great idea.

“Just wrap a towel around your waist. It’s normal,” he told himself with a nod and did so.

 

Zelo had settled down on the couch in Youngjae’s living room space in his room when the bathroom door opened. He felt his lungs settle deep into his gut, windpipe clogged off and his jaw somewhere on the floor. He swallowed thickly as his eyes wandered over Youngjae’s body, barely covered with a towel. He couldn’t lie himself free of not having thought about how Youngjae would look without clothes. But he had thought he would get a warning before that would actually happen. Now he was sitting there, mouth agape, throat dry and trying to discreetly pull a pillow into his lap.

“Did you forget your clothes?” Zelo asked and mentally cringed at how strained his voice sounded even to himself.

“Yeah. Stupid me,” Youngjae said and shuffled awkwardly from one foot to another before he staggered off towards his bedroom. Before Zelo even realized what was going on, he had gotten off the bed, moved across the room and wrapped his arms around Youngjae’s waist. The elder let out a surprised gasp but Zelo only kissed his shoulder in return.

“You look absolutely beautiful,” he whispered. He realized he had never meant words so much in his life. Youngjae was beyond beautiful to him. He walked around his boyfriend without letting go of him. He pressed a soft kiss to Youngjae’s lips, pulled back only to repeat. He could feel how Youngjae smiled against his lips with each gentle kiss and it only made him want to kiss him more. So that was what he did. The press of lips lasted longer, a small movement was added and before Zelo realized what had happened, Youngjae was standing against the wall. The youngest broke the kiss to breathe, chest expanding and contracting with each draw of breath. His eyes went from Youngjae’s dark eyes that fluttered open before him to his lips, his throat, his shoulders, his chest, his stomach and to his fingers clutching the towel tightly. Zelo looked back up at Youngjae and found his boyfriend blushing. He reached down and gently pried his fingers off the towel. He kept urging the older to let go of the fabric covering him and laced his fingers with his. He noticed how Youngjae let out a small sigh when he let go of the towel and it stayed around his hips. Zelo leaned in and stole another kiss from Youngjae, still innocent as ever.

“You smell good,” he whispered as a whiff of sweet-smelling shampoo reached his nose. He spoke gently against Youngjae’s lips. Youngjae chuckled softly and turned his head away from Zelo’s lips. But Zelo felt how the temperature of Youngjae’s cheek rose. He dragged his nose down the older’s cheek gently, following the line of his jaw to his neck. He noticed how Youngjae drew in a shaky breath but only tilted his head to give him more access. Zelo’s lips pressed gently against the soft curve of Youngjae’s neck. There wasn’t any movement. It was a simple but soft press of lips to skin. He stayed still for a few seconds before he dared a small suck on the patch of skin. Youngjae’s breath hitched slightly in response and Zelo grew more daring. He sucked a little harder before he moved on, kissing down the line of his neck. His ministrations were still soft and barely there but it was enough to rile Youngjae up bit by bit. Zelo pressed Youngjae’s hands back against the wall with gentle pressure. They were raised above the older’s neck and Zelo followed by kissing his way back up to his lips. They kissed again, movements becoming quicker and less restrained.

For a second, Zelo felt daring and let his tongue swipe across Youngjae’s lips. The touch was gentle and barely there, but Youngjae’s sharp intake of breath told him he had done something right. Zelo felt a light pressure on top of his feet and Youngjae started struggling slightly against his hold. Worried, Zelo pulled back and looked to his feet only to see the towel that once were around Youngjae’s hips had reached the floor. Zelo felt his own face turn hot with the knowledge Youngjae was completely naked in front of him but he didn’t let go. Instead, he leaned in and claimed his lips again with more pressure than before and his tongue more persistent. Youngjae though continued struggling for a while, but soon gave up and kissed Zelo back. The youngest was happy with Youngjae’s surrender and gently urged Youngjae’s tongue to enter his own mouth. Once the sleek muscle was there, Zelo closed his lips around it and gave it a tentative suck, tip of his tongue flicking over Youngjae’s. The latter let out a surprised sound and withdrew his hands. Surprisingly enough he managed to withdraw his hands from Zelo’s hands. The youngest was just about to reach out for Youngjae’s hands again when he felt them around his neck instead. His own hands placed themselves on Youngjae’s waist instead. He pulled him close against him and turned away from the wall while their lips were connected in a gentle kiss. He maneuvered them around, carefully waddled forward without Youngjae falling until they reached the latter’s bed. He pushed Youngjae into a sitting position on the edge of the bed, using the break of their kiss to rid himself of his shirt in process. Before he crawled onto the bed next to Youngjae he stepped on the toes of his socks. One thing he had learned, you never had sex with your socks on. He climbed onto the bed and brought the older down with him.

“I love you,” Zelo mumbled softly as he looked at Youngjae with honest and genuine eyes. Youngjae blushed impossibly harder and pushed himself onto his elbow to kiss Zelo gently. There were no words included, but Zelo got the message just well nonetheless. He kissed Youngjae back and slowly climbed on top of him. It was awkward movements and he almost fell on top of the older a few times in the process. But he made it in a few attempts and settled between his legs. His jean-clad legs and pelvic in touch with Youngjae’s naked one, equally naked chests lined up and lips molded together. Youngjae’s arms found their way around Zelo’s shoulders and one leg hooked around his hip. Youngjae held him close to himself as they kissed, hands roaming on his back and tongue shyly coming out to probe at his lips. Zelo parted his lips for Youngjae and welcomed his tongue in his mouth. Youngjae explored Zelo’s cavern carefully and thoroughly. He touched nooks and crannies Zelo had no idea existed until Youngjae touched them and sent his hips jerking forward. They moaned softly in unison when they ground together and Zelo could feel Youngjae smile against his lips. Zelo smiled in return and deepened the kiss. He rolled his hips against Youngjae’s once again and felt a moan bubble through the older’s body and into his mouth. In return, he could feel Youngjae’s finger come underneath the fabric of his pants and squeezed one of his buttocks.

“These need off,” he mumbled almost silently. If it wasn’t because Zelo had wanted the same he wouldn’t have made sense of it. He gave Youngjae a chaste kiss on the lips before he pulled back enough to pull his jeans down. He was just about to climb back onto the bed when Youngjae’s voice told him to rid himself of the underwear too. Carefully he lowered the fabric, using his other hand to cover himself up some. He felt the blush burning everywhere on his body as he felt Youngjae’s eyes on him. He found himself curling around himself in an attempt to hide until he felt Youngjae’s hands on his body. He flinched slightly. He had no idea what had happened. Suddenly he was just very self-aware.

“Zelo, you don’t have to hide,” Youngjae said softly and traced over a part of the skin he hadn’t covered with his hands. “You are not flawless. But you’re perfect to me,” Youngjae whispered and pressed his lips onto Zelo’s hip. “Your flaws are what makes you you. I’m in love with your flaws,” Youngjae continued and Zelo didn’t know if he should laugh or cry. Instead, he lowered himself onto his knees and pressed his trembling lips against Youngjae’s.

“I love you,” he said against his lips and pressed him backward onto the bed. He was barely keeping his emotions from washing over but it made everything that more intense to him.  
The youngest settled himself between Youngjae’s legs, lips molded against his. They were kissing deeply, lovingly and all too restrained. He gave a careful roll of his hips against Youngjae’s and felt the older spread his legs more for him. Being encouraged by Youngjae’s actions, Zelo deepened the kiss with a force that was bordering lustful and held it. Only when he was completely out of breath did he break the kiss and placed his face in the juncture of Youngjae’s neck and shoulder. He pressed a soft kiss to the side of Youngjae’s neck before pulling back, still panting softly.

“Are we really doing this?” Zelo asked in a timid voice. Youngjae, spread out underneath him, naked, and completely exposed, looked up at him with several emotions Zelo couldn’t quite decipher.

“I mean...if you want to...yes...yeah...I think we are...but if you don’t want to we don’t have to...not that I mind if we do or anything...not that I do if we don’t either…” Youngjae began replying. Zelo pressed a finger to Youngjae’s lips to silence him from his rambling. He had gotten his answer. They were going to do it.

“I want to...I mean, I want to if you want too...and…” Zelo was cut off by Youngjae’s lips on his own.

“Stop talking,” Youngjae said and smiled against his lips. Zelo let out a small hum against Youngjae’s and moved his lips gently against his. With several attempts from both sides and awkward bumping of noses they finally managed to heat up the kiss. Zelo made an attempt to grind against Youngjae’s core, dragging a small moan out of the both of them. The kiss broke as they continued grinding against each other. Instead their kiss became breathing heavily against each other’s mouths. It was awkward, clumsy but absolutely perfect how they were out of sync in their movements and their hands were gripping awkwardly at whatever they could get a hold of. Among the awkward gripping they managed to line up enough to grind against each other in a way it actually gave them pleasure. It was a slow build but they learned to move together, crotches grinding against each other smoothly and breaths mingling between their lips. Zelo wanted to shift his weight to one side so he could reach down and take both of them in his hand and stroke them, but he ended up losing his balance on the soft mattress. He rolled onto his back trying hard not to laugh at the situation. He looked over at Youngjae smiling. The older was already laughing. He too shifted around but ended up straddling Zelo instead, leaned down and kissed him. Everything about the new position seemed to work better. Youngjae kept still and Zelo rolled his hips up against his. Zelo also realized his hands fit perfectly against Youngjae’s asscheeks. It was nice to feel them mold and form according to the pressure his fingers applied when he kneaded them. And taken from Youngjae’s irregular breathing and small moans, he knew he liked it too. He kneaded the full globes between his hands, pushed them together pulled them apart. He squeezed them and moved them in circular movements. He honestly had no idea what he was doing, but Youngjae seemed to like it and that was the most important. Zelo felt like he was just moving around the flesh for too long and it must begin to bore Youngjae some. He had to do something different. He bit into his lip nervously as he kept Youngjae’s asscheeks spread apart carefully. He ran his index finger across Youngjae’s entrance and held his breath. Youngjae gasped and buried his face in the crook of Zelo’s shoulder. It was a much better reaction than Zelo had dared hoping for and he released his breath with relief.

“Again,” came a small voice from Youngjae and who was Zelo to deny. He kept the pad of his finger to rub against his entrance gently while the other hand massaged his buttock. A small whimpering sound came from Youngjae and Zelo wasn’t in doubt it was a good whimper. He continued his ministrations against the puckered entrance and slowly added more and more pressure onto it. When he pushed hard enough to penetrate slightly, he heard a gasp from Youngjae that wasn’t entirely of pleasure.

“L-lube. You need lube,” Youngjae said lowly in a way it was barely audible. The older didn’t wait for Zelo’s response and reached over for his bedside table, pulled out the drawer and fished out a bottle of clear gel. They made eye contact for a second and they blushed instantly. Zelo grabbed the bottle from Youngjae with a sweaty hand and had to balance it on the bed to pop the lid open. He lifted it up and let the clear gel drip onto Youngjae’s ass. A few drops landed on his buttocks before Zelo had corrected himself enough for it to trickle down his crack to his entrance. The younger squirmed slightly on top of Zelo who placed the bottle down once he thought there was enough lube on Youngjae. He clicked the lid back shut before he dumped the bottle onto the floor and took a hold of Youngjae again. He shifted him around so he was having a better reach. He ran a couple of fingers through the slick liquid and silently concluded he had used way too much lube. But he would rather use too much than too little. He rubbed across the puckered entrance a couple of times while making sure his finger was thoroughly lubed. Once he deemed himself safe to penetrate the hole he pushed the first joint into him. He felt how the muscle contracted around him and willed him to pull out again, but he didn’t pull back. Instead he kept the finger in place and turned his head to kiss Youngjae’s face for distraction instead.  
They both stayed still for a short while. In the meantime, Zelo’s lips dragged over Youngjae’s cheek repeatedly. Only when the older moved himself further into him did any of them move - and Zelo still kept completely still and let Youngjae move as he pleased. For several minutes Zelo had his arm laying on Youngjae’s back as he reached behind him. The older was the one moving on his finger in a fluent, never-ending movement. Zelo had noticed the other had started to relax around his finger and just before he was about to prod with a new finger, Youngjae asked for one himself. Zelo carefully pulled the other finger out, lined a second up with it and gently pushed them inside him. Youngjae’s mouth fell slack against Zelo’s collarbone when Zelo reached deeper into him. Once again he left the moving to Youngjae. He couldn’t really imagine what it would be like to have two fingers up his ass, so he would leave the experimenting to the one experiencing it. Ever so slowly Youngjae was moving onto his fingers, rolling his hips on and off the digits a couple of times. His carefully controlled breathing was interrupted by low moans occasionally and Zelo could have sworn he had never heard a more beautiful sound before.

“M-more.” Came the breathless plea after another handful minutes of Youngjae slowly stretching himself and Zelo moving his fingers in different ways to help him. He had curled them, scissored them and curled them again before he twisted them and curled another way. He pulled out his fingers to push in three this time. Youngjae let out a pained moan and buried his face in the crook of Zelo’s shoulder as the younger slowly pushed inside. Zelo was kissing at his cheek and neck to distract him from the pain as he waited for Youngjae to move on his own. Zelo didn’t move his hand, no matter how painful it was becoming for him to hold his wrist bend like that to reach inside him. When Youngjae finally began to move, Zelo couldn’t help but hear the small sounds of discomfort coming from the older. He couldn’t really do anything to help except letting Youngjae take his time.  
Youngjae pulled off his fingers and sat up in Zelo’s lap.

“I feel so sticky,” he mumbled causing both of them to laugh.

“Sorry, I used too much lube,” Zelo apologized as he wiped his fingers off in the bed sheets underneath him before taking a hold of Youngjae’s hips. Youngjae let out a soft chuckle in response and shook his head.

“Rather safe than sorry,” he laughed. Zelo couldn’t help but laugh too as he had to agree. That had been his thought too.

“Are you ready?” the youngest asked and looked up at his boyfriend with worry.

“Yeah. But I think it would be better if I was on my back,” he replied and Zelo nodded slowly. He didn’t agree per say, but whatever could make Youngjae more comfortable he would do. He rolled over slightly, flipped Youngjae down in the process and climbed on top of him. He settled down between his legs and kissed him softly on the lips before he reached to the floor.

“Can’t be too sure,” he chuckled as he popped the cap open and poured some of the slick gel into his palm and onto his length. He moaned loudly, surprising both of them with the sound. He had been too caught up in Youngjae’s pleasure to realize how much he had needed to be touched himself. He quickly made sure he was covered with lube and lined up with Youngjae’s entrance. But before he could push inside him, he felt a hand on his chest and one on top of his own on his dick.

“Let me stroke you a bit. You’re too sensitive,” Youngjae said in a small voice. Zelo nodded dumbly at his words and removed his own hand from his length. The older began to stroke him and Zelo bit into his lower lip to silence himself. Even the careful and gentle touch was almost too much for him. Even when it was just Youngjae’s hand, it was still the first time of anyone touching him aside from himself and it felt so terribly good despite the movements being clumsy and insecure. But he was happy with Youngjae stroking him. It was nice to get his sensitivity lowered at least some. He was pretty sure that if he had entered Youngjae just like that he had cum before he could even get to feel him completely.

“Better?” Youngjae asked and Zelo nodded. He was feeling good but he wasn’t nearly as sensitive as he had been at first. The youngest placed a hand on Youngjae’s shoulder and gently pushed him back onto the mattress and leaned down with him. He kissed him deeply for an as long as his breath could last them before he pulled back. He lined up with Youngjae’s entrance, carefully spreading his legs as much as they could.

“You ready?” Zelo asked and Youngjae nodded. He swallowed thickly as he took a firm grip around the base of his length and ever so slowly pressed the head of his dick through the tight entrance. The hand he wasn’t using to guide, he wrapped around Youngjae’s length and stroked it to distract. He could feel how Youngjae was clenching around his length to fight in the intrusion but still had his head thrown back at the feeling.

“M-more,” Youngjae requested. His voice was thick with pain so Zelo didn’t move immediately. He was worried for his boyfriend. He didn’t want him to hurt. He tightened his hold slightly more on his length before he pushed into the older slowly. It was tight. It was hot. It was pleasure in the highest degree. It took everything in Zelo not just to bottom out now that he was moving. The way Youngjae’s walls were smothering around his length and changed between pushing him out and sucking him in. The feeling was incredible. When he was buried completely inside Youngjae, Zelo bend over his body and made sure to kiss him lovingly. The older kissed him back and moved his arms around his shoulders to hold him tight. They both tilted their heads to deepen the kiss as they waited for Youngjae to adjust to Zelo’s size. Even if he wasn’t that big he was still bigger than three fingers.

“M-move," came Youngjae’s choked up request. Zelo took a few extra seconds to actually prepare himself to move. He took a deep breath and slowly pulled out of Youngjae, leaving only the tip inside him before pushing back in. Both of them were moaning in sync at the feeling, one from pain and one from pleasure. Zelo did notice the sound of distress coming from the older and stopped moving when he was fully inside him again.

“Are you sure I should move yet?” Zelo asked. It was almost painful for him not to move inside his boyfriend. Youngjae nodded against his shoulder and rolled his hips underneath Zelo. Both of them groaned at the slight friction and Zelo had to agree. It couldn’t wait any longer. He pulled back slowly once again before pushing inside him. It was slow, painful for both of them but at the same time, it felt so damn good.

Zelo leaned down to kiss Youngjae lovingly, hand working on his length for distraction and hips working slowly inside him. He had to thank himself for dancing later. He had a strong core and could hold the position that wouldn’t have been possible for an untrained person. He kept his movements slow while he paid close attention to how Youngjae felt around him. Whenever he relaxed a little more, Zelo made sure to speed up his thrusts just a bit. It was a slow build but with time Zelo was able to move fast enough inside Youngjae without it hurting to feel pleasure build inside him. He pulled back from the kiss and buried his face in the older’s shoulder. The pleasure was becoming too much.

“I’m coming soon,” he gasped. A pleasured groan was his answer though he could tell Youngjae wasn’t in as deep pleasure. He stroked him faster, trying to match his own thrusts but that was hard as his movements lost rhythm the closer he came to his release.

“I’m coming,” he warned again as his abdomen tightened with the upcoming release. Blood was rushing in his ears and he didn’t hear Youngjae’s reply. Instead, he thrust deeper and harder into him, chasing his own release with sloppy and uncontrolled movements. His hips stuttered a few times before a wave of pleasure washed over him and he spilled his seeds inside the older with a loud moan of his name. He had stilled for a few seconds, too sensitive to move at first but started to roll his hips again to milk himself inside Youngjae. Breathing heavily he pulled out of Youngjae and laid down on his side next to him, took a firm hold of his hard erection and started stroking, fast. Youngjae arched his back sharply with the stroking, moans falling from his lips between sharp intakes of breath. Zelo made sure to kiss the older’s neck while he was stroking him, whispering sweet nothings to him while he urged him to his release.

Youngjae didn’t come with a warning. Between two strokes his body tensed up, he moaned loudly and he came across his own stomach and on Zelo’s fingers. Zelo was sure he had never seen anything as beautiful as that and he admired Youngjae as he stroked him through his release. When Youngjae came down from his high he curled up against Zelo’s side and the younger wrapped his arms around him. They didn’t say anything to each other. They just stayed silent and basked in each other’s presence as sleep slowly washed over them. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second last chapter! Last chapter will be posted in 12-ish hours!


	48. Chapter Forty Eight

They were alone, cuddling on Himchan’s bed. Just him and Yongguk. Their legs were tangled, arms slung over each other, holding each other and frankly Himchan couldn’t quite believe this was real. Just a month ago, this would have been something he could never have dreamt of.

“Do you think we could change the dance in the chorus a little bit? I know it’s pretty late, but I can’t quite get it down,” Yongguk asked, worried. Himchan smiled.

“For the fourth time, no. It looks fine. You were doing it right. Just because you can’t make your body move exactly like Jongup’s or Zelo’s doesn’t mean you’re not doing it right,” he told his boyfriend.

“Yeah, but still-”

“No. Bbang, you’re not the greatest dancer out there, but you’re not the worst either. You look fine while dancing the chorus, all of it actually,” Himchan interrupted. “And when we get on stage, your usual cool persona will come forth and no one will notice.”

“You think I’m cool on stage?” Yongguk grinned. Himchan rolled his eyes.  
“Yes. But off it, you’re a teddy bear,” he smiled back and hugged the other tighter.

“As long as I’m your teddy bear, I’m fine with it,” his boyfriend replied.

“Wow, that was cheesy!”

“So?”

“I can see that you and Yongnam are rela-”

Lips attacked his own, cutting him off. Closing his eyes, Himchan enjoyed the slow kiss.

“Rude,” he told the other when he pulled away a little but responded eagerly when Yongguk’s lips were back on his own. It was enthusiastic kisses with a lazy side to them and they were perfect.

“You think I’m rude?” Yongguk asked in between kisses, before pulling back completely.

“Very,” Himchan answered. “Especially when you just suddenly stop kissing me when I wasn’t finished,” he added with a smile and pulled the other back into a kiss. He could feel the other smile into their liplock, before his boyfriend rolled on top of him, without breaking contact.

It slowly turned more heated and desperate and Himchan’s hands wandered around Yongguk’s back. Getting sick of the shirt, he slipped under it feeling the other’s smooth skin.

“If you keep doing that,” Yongguk started but went back to kissing him instead of continuing.

“Then what?” he asked as he removed the other’s t-shirt and threw it on the floor. It was getting in the way. His boyfriend didn’t answer and just kept kissing him. Smiling, he rolled them over and pinned Yongguk to the bed. Looking at him, he found a pink dusted across his cheeks and his lips slightly swollen.

“Then-uh, I’d like to-uh,” his boyfriend said slowly as to find his words, while Himchan slowly slid his hands down his arms, sitting up at the same time. “To-uh formally request this goes further,” Yongguk continued slowly and slightly awkwardly. A chuckle escaped Himchan’s lips and he leaned down again until he was mere millimeters from the other’s lips.

“Let me think about it,” he grinned, their lips touching every time he moved them. Yongguk pushed his head up slightly, gaining full contact with his lips. Moving their lips against each other, Himchan opened his mouth to deepen the kiss, his boyfriend following his lead. Feeling his body heating up, he moved his mouth to the other’s jaw and neck, sucking on it lightly.

Suddenly the door slammed open.

“Him- AHHH!” Zelo’s yell interrupted them and Himchan shot up to look at Zelo standing in the doorway with wide eyes. The youngest covered his eyes immediately. “Why are you having sex!? Jae, Umma and Appa are having sex!” he yelled in despair. Moving his eyes to behind Zelo, there stood a red-faced Youngjae.

“Umma and Appa are most certainly not having sex!” Himchan replied in desperate surprise.

“Shit, I thought we were,” Yongguk said cheekily from beneath him.

“Shush, Bbang, your input is not appreciated,” he shushed the other with a soft glare, before turning back to Zelo and Youngjae in the doorway. “You can remove your hands from your eyes Zelo,” he told the youngest, who slowly did as told, before sending him a grin.

Himchan narrowed his eyes. Now that he looked at them, they were practically glowing.

“You had sex,” he stated and as if pressing a button they both blushed.

“W-what?” Youngjae sputtered.

“Who topped?” Himchan went on interested. They both turned redder.

“Himchan, you can’t-” Yongguk started but he held up a finger to shush him. Looking at them closer as they shuffled their feet, clearly embarrassed, he came to a conclusion.

“Zelo did,” he concluded. Himchan could basically hear everyone’s jaws hit the floor. “Good job.”

“H-how did you know?” Zelo asked in surprise.

“Zelo! You’re not supposed to say that, now he knows for sure,” Youngjae groaned.

“Oops,” the youngest scratched the back of his head while Himchan couldn’t help but laugh. A chuckle sounded from beneath him from Yongguk as well.

“Don’t worry, you can’t hide anything from me,” Himchan grinned. “I am the great and almighty Himchan.”

“Yeah,” Yongguk agreed quickly before turning to the two in the doorway. “Could you leave us for a moment?” he smiled at them. The two of them nodded.

“It has to be a quickie though, as Daehyun and Jongup are coming over for dinner soon,” Youngjae told them, still red in the face, but with a smile playing on his lips, as he closed the door behind them.

“That was embarrassing,” Yongguk mumbled.

“Not as embarrassing as when your brother congratulated you through the door after we had sex,” Himchan smiled down at his boyfriend who had turned a deep red and started stuttering out ‘what’s. “Anyways, we need to get chopping if it’s already so late,” Himchan quickly moved on.

“But-”

“No butts, no matter how much I like yours,” he interrupted leaning down to kiss Yongguk quickly, before getting off the bed. He picked up the other’s shirt as said person grumpily got out of the bed.

Yongguk pulled him into a kiss, that he willingly responded to as he found heads and tails on the shirt. Pulling away from the kiss, he helped Yongguk put on the shirt, his hands lingering on the skin of the other’s waist. Their lips met each other once again shortly, as Himchan took his boyfriend’s hands and pulled him with him out to the kitchen.

 

Himchan watched with a small smile on his face as chaos ensued in the small apartment. They had had dinner and done the dishes. Soon they were to go to the club where they were performing tonight. So, naturally, the bathroom was under harsh pressure. It wouldn’t have been that bad if it wasn’t because Daehyun had to pee every five minutes because he was nervous. Also, everyone had to constantly check one of the two mirrors they had in the apartment to see if they looked fine.

Yongguk had brought a dozen or so caps with him and was currently checking out how each of them looked on him. Zelo was trying on the caps as well as switching shirts every two minutes. Youngjae walked back and forth to the mirror and each of them, asking if he looked okay. Jongup was probably the calmest of them, practicing some dance moves in the living room with a small smile on his face. Himchan himself was trying on a second pair of more worn pants, to see if they fit better.

“Chan, how does this one look on me?” Yongguk asked and showed him another cap.

“I’d still say the red one. Or you could go without one,” Himchan answered and gently pushed Zelo out of the way to see how the jeans looked on him. Hmm, maybe not. The first pair fit him better.

“Himchan-Hyung, what about me?” Zelo asked with a green cap on his head.

“The blue one fit you better. Especially, with the shirt you’re wearing now,” he decided after a second and went back to his room to switch jeans.

“Should I try on a cap too? Maybe the yellow one? That’ll fit to my shirt,” Youngjae’s voice drifted into the room.

“Don’t you dare!” Himchan yelled out as he pulled on his jeans. “If you want a cap take a black one! No way are you wearing a yellow cap with a yellow shirt,” Going out of his room with jeans on, he found Youngjae looking at himself in the mirror with a black cap on backward.

“Does this look good?” Youngjae asked.

“It looks great,” Zelo answered with a smile. “But we’re lying on the floor at a point. Maybe it would be better to turn it around?”

“Good idea,” the boy in the cap did as said. At that moment Daehyun came out of the bathroom.

“Okay, I’m finished,” he told them and Yongguk hurried into the bathroom mumbling ‘finally my turn’.

“Should we all wear caps?” Jongup asked and went over to the pile of caps on the floor next to the mirror.

“That would actually be a cool idea,” Himchan nodded and picked out a black cap to put on his head. It didn’t look half bad with his pink shirt and black and gray jacket. Maybe it was a lot of black, but it went along well.

“Caps? Which one should I take?” Daehyun asked, his nerves showing in his voice. Jongup picked out a white cap and put it on Daehyun’s head. The second youngest then pecked the nervous boy’s nose. ‘This looks great’ he seemed to say silently, which resulted in a blush.

Himchan sat down and looked at Youngjae and Zelo who were busy discussing which shirt the youngest should wear. It was all very lovey dovey.

“Bbang!” Himchan yelled on his boyfriend, making the others jump. Yongguk was out of the bathroom seconds later, with a confused face. “Come here, the other’s are being too lovey-dovey,”

“You jealous?” Youngjae grinned and put the blue cap on Zelo again.

“Extremely,” he answered and motioned for his boyfriend to come closer, who did so with a goofy smile. The eldest leaned down and gave him a kiss, before pulling back with a wide smile.

“Which cap should I wear?” Jongup asked them and they all turned to look at him.

“The red one?” Zelo suggested.

“I’m wearing that one,” Yongguk shot the idea down, pointing at his own head.

“Then the green one?” the youngest came with another idea. Jongup took the cap and put it on.

“Yeah that works,” Himchan nodded. They all looked at each other. They were ready to go.

“Great, I need to pee,” Daehyun rushed off to the bathroom once again.

“Hurry up, we’re leaving in two minutes!” Yongguk yelled after him.

 

Jongup could feel the nerves bubbling underneath his skin as they reached the club. But besides Himchan, he seemed to be the calmest. Holding his hand was his boyfriend, shaking slightly. Zelo and Youngjae were holding hands as well and looked slightly pale. Yongguk couldn’t stand still or keep quiet, so he blabbered on about nothing and everything. Himchan was looked like he was calm and collected, but Jongup had seen him fiddle his fingers nervously when no one was looking.

They were shown to a room at the back of the club where they could wait until it was their turn on stage.

“I’m going to die,” Daehyun mumbled as they sat down in the furniture in the room, with exception of Yongguk, who was pacing back and forth. Jongup gave the hand he held a reassuring squeeze, telling his boyfriend he wouldn’t die. At the same time, it was to reassure himself that everything was going to be alright.

“Five minutes,” a head stuck into their room, announced.

“Right,” Yongguk stood still. “Gather round,” he told them with a hand motion and they all gathered in a circle. Jongup couldn’t help but smile around at them in the silence. It was nice being with friends.

“This is it,” the eldest announced. “We’re going to go out there and perform our best. We’re going to do what we’ve practiced so many times, but most importantly, we’re going to have fun on the stage,” they nodded at the words, small smiles breaking out.

“Hands in,” Himchan added and held out his hand. Jongup put his own hand on top and then they all had a hand in. “We can do this,” the second eldest smiled and their smiles became wider.

“Let’s go have fun,” Yongguk smiled fondly at them and Jongup could feel his nerves calm down and his heart beat faster.

“Scream out on three,” Himchan requested. They all nodded and the second eldest counted to three. They screamed. It felt great to scream out some nerves.

“Let’s go then,” Yongguk grinned and led the way out of the room to the back of the stage. This was it. This was it. Soon they were summoned up on stage and Jongup gave a quick kiss to his boyfriend, to calm the other down and himself.

There were many people staring up at them as they got into formation. He could feel the nerves accumulate again. And then the music started. The music they had heard endlessly while practicing and he felt his body move on its own. Every move he had helped choreograph was remembered. Looking around at the others, he found them moving as they had moved in their practice room. Except there was a spark of energy and life in them that hadn’t been there before. His body emerged itself in the song. It was thrilling.

Suddenly it was over and people were clapping and whooping at them. Jongup found that he couldn’t keep a smile repressed and in a blur they bowed to the audience and walked off stage again. Smiles were all over the place on his friends’ faces. His boyfriend gave a kiss that made him dizzy on top of everything else.

“Great job,” Yongguk grinned at them.

“We were brilliant!” Himchan grinned along.

“That felt awesome!” Zelo exclaimed and they all nodded in agreement.

“Excuse me,” an unfamiliar voice interrupted and Jongup turned around to find a man standing in front of them. “That was really great, did you make the entire performance and music yourself?”

“Yeah,” Himchan answered with a nod.

“You should come by our company. All of you,” the man handed out a card and Yongguk took it. “It would be an honor to work with such talented young people,”

With that and a smile, the man turned around and walked away. Jongup found himself huddled around Yongguk with the others.

“Is that for real? Not just a fraud?” Daehyun asked.

“I know this company, they’re real,” Youngjae answered after getting a look on the card.

“Holy crap,” Yongguk cursed in wonder.

“We should totally give this a try,” Zelo suggested excitedly and they all nodded along with smiles on their faces.

“But what about my parents and the company?” Youngjae asked, smile slipping off his face.

“We’ll figure it out,” Himchan smiled softly. “We’ve come this far, why shouldn’t we be able to go further?”

“We can do this,” Jongup said out loud with a nod.

“We can do this,” Daehyun repeated, while the rest nodded, Youngjae included.

“We’ll show the world,” Yongguk grinned and Jongup stuck his hand into their circle ‘We can do this’ he thought to himself with a grin as they screamed together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is the ending of the first fic we did together. It's a slowburn on literally all couples and we're happy that all of you stuck in for the whole ride. It's been a while since we wrote the story, but rewriting it has been one hell of an educational ride too. Suddenly I became aware of how much I've personally improved my writing, and how much Kaiten has improved too. Kaiten is currently working on another BangHim story that is definitely worth a read: http://archiveofourown.org/works/6715138/chapters/15356443  
> I'm currently not working on anything BAP-related, but my latest finished story is this: http://archiveofourown.org/works/4589289/chapters/10454199  
> Instead of writing anything new, I'm working on tying a few knots on the ongoing stories I have and try to finish them (sorry to the patient people). 
> 
> Thank you for sticking in for the long ass ride of 48 chapters. We hope it has been entertaining and hopefully educational too. Never underestimate the value of friends. You might not be a Himchan or a Zelo, or a Youngjae for that matter. But you can be a Yongguk to a Himchan, or a Jongup to a Daehyun, or a Zelo to Youngjae, or a Youngjae to a Zelo. Friendships are important!

**Author's Note:**

> The first chapter is out and we managed to introduce all six main characters, yay! ^^
> 
> We would like you to check out our other story Rulebreaker on [AO3](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10622790/) or [AFF](http://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/408703/) too.


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